GEORGE  I.  COCURAN     MEYER  ELSASSER 
DR.  JOHN  R.  HAYNES    WILLIAM  L.  HONNOLD 
JAMES  R.  MARTIN         MRS.  JOSEPH  F.  SARTORI 

10  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SOUTHERN  BRANCH 


JOHN  FISKE 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

A   GUIDE   TO   THE   AMATEUR  IN  THE 

FRUIT,  VEGETABLE,  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN, 

WITH   FULL   DIRECTIONS   FOFv   THE 

GREENHOUSE,  CONSERVATORY,  AND  WINDOW  GARDEN. 


BY 

PETER   HENDERSON, 

ATTTHOB    OF    "GABDENING    FOB    PBOFIT,"    "  PBACTICAL    FLOBICtTLTTJBB,"    "HAND- 
BOOK OF  PLANTS,"  "  GABDEN  AND  FARM  TOPICS,"  "  HOW  THE  FABM  PATS,"  ETC. 


NEW,    ENLARGED     EDITION. 

ILLUSTRATED. 


NEW    YORK: 

ORANGE    JTTDD     COMPANY, 
1898. 


8823;") 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1887,  by  th3 

O.   JUDD    CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface  to  Second  Edition 7 

Introduction  to  First  Edition 8 

CHAPTER  I. 
Location  and  Soil 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
Drainage 10 

CHAPTER  III. 
Preparation  of  the  Ground 13 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Walks 14 

CHAPTER  V. 
Man  ures 17 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Special  Fertilizers  for  Particular  Plants. 20 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Lawn 22 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Designs  for  Garden 27 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Planting  of  Lawns  and  Flower  Beds... '. 31 

r.T  CHAPTER  X. 

^     Fall  or  Holland  Bulbs,  etc 44 

CHAPTER  XI. 
H  Propagation  of  Plants  by  Seeds 61 

CHAPTER  XII. 
j^  Propagation  of  Plants  by  Cuttings...  64 

tO  CHAPTER  XIII. 

.H    Propagating  by  Layering... 68 

P4  CHAPTER  XIV. 

About  Grafting  and  Budding 69 

CHAPTER  XV. 

How  Grafting  and  Budding  are  Done 74 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Treatment  of  Tropical  Bulbs,  Seeds,  etc 80 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
The  Potting  of  Plants 83 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Winter-Flowering  Plants 85 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Unhealthy  Plants— The  Remedy 104 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Plants  Suited  for  Summer  Decoration 106 

(III) 


IV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Hanging  Baskets n* 

CHAPTER  XXIL 
Window  Gardening - llb 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Culture  of  Water  Lilies  and  other  Aquatic  Plants 118 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
The  Chrysanthemum -  147 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Parlor  Gardening,  or  the  Cultivation  of  Plants  in  Rooms 153 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Wardian  Cases,  Ferneries,  and  Jardinieres 159 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Greenhouses  Attached  to  Dwellings 161 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Detached  Greenhouses,  Modes  of  Heating,  etc 165 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Greenhouses  or  Pits  without  Artificial  Heating 184 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Combined  Cellar  and  Greenhouse 186 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Hardy  Shrubs,  Climbers,  and  Trees 189 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Hardy  Herbaceous  Perennials 193 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
Flowers  which  will  Grow  in  the  Shade 199 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
Insects  and  other  Parasites  In  j  urious  to  Plants  - 200 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
Frozen  Plants _. 208 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
Mulching 209 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
Shading 211 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

The  Law  of  Color  in  Flowers 215 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

Humbugs  in  Horticulture 216 

CHAPTER  XL. 

.238 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
Hardy  Grapes 238 

CHAPTER  XLII. 
The  Cold  Grapery 247 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 
The  Hothouse  or  Forcing  Grapery 258 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 
The  Strawberry - 256 

CHAPTER  XLV. 
Cottage  Gardening — A  Digression - 301 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 
The  Vegetable  Garden 303 

CHAPTER  XL VII. 
Garden  Implements 359 

Monthly  Calendar  of  Operations 385 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Rubble  Drain 11 

Horse-shoe  Drain  Tile 11 

Triangular  Board  Drain..  12 
Approach  to  a  House — 

Drive  andPath 15 

Section  of  Road  with  Drain 

eachside 16 

Design  for  Laying  out 

Grounds., 28 

Design  for  Grounds  with 

Carriage  Drive 30 

Diagram  of  Flower  Bed..  32 

Section  of  Flower  Bed 33 

Carpet  Bed  as  Planted....  87 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 37 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 38 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 39 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 40 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 41 

Design  for  Flower  Bed 42 

Fancy  Bedding  at  Lincoln 

Park,  Chicago 43 

Group  of  Holland  Bulbs.-  46 
Pot  Culture  of  the  Bermu- 

daLily. 49 

Lily  of  the  Valley 51 

Lilv  of  the  Valley  "Pip" 

—Good 52 

Amaryllis  (Vittata  Type)..  58 

Cyclamen 60 

Proper  and  Improper  State 

of  Cutting 65 

Saucer  Propagation 67 

Propagation  by  Layering..  68 
Cleft  Grafting  (the  Cleft).  76 
Cleft  Graf  ting  (the  Cion)..  76 
Cleft  Grafting  (Graft  fitted)  76 

Whip  Graft.. 77 

Side  Graft 77 

Grafting  the  Camellia 78 


33.  Budding  (the  Bud) 79 

34.  Budding  (the  Cut) 79 

35.  Budding  (the  Bud  iu  place)  79 

36.  Budding  (the  Bud  tied)-.  79 

37.  Rustic  Hanging  Basket. .-113 

38.  A  Veranda  Garden 115 

39.  Plain  Window  Box 116 

40.  Window  Box  Ornamented 

with  Tiles 117 

41.  Aquatic  Plants  m  Central 

Park ...124 

42.  Water  Lily  Bed 126 

43.  Amazon  Lily,  Victoria  regiaV2& 

44.  Nymphaea  Devoniensis 132 

45.  ChrysanthemumMrs.  Brett  150 

46.  Chrysanthemum    Culling- 

fordi 152 

47.  Folding  Plant  Stand 157 

48   Wardian  Case 159 

49.  Fernery  with  Glass  Shade.  159 

50.  Base-burning  Boiler 162 

51.  Base-burning  Boiler  (Sec- 

tion)  162 

52.  Conservatory  attached   to 

Dwelling  (Elevation) 163 

53.  Conservatory  attached  to 

Dwelling  (Ground  Plan)  .163 

54.  Conservatory  attached  to 

Dwelling ,..164 

55.  Greenhouse     with     equal 

Spans 166 

56.  End   View    and  Plan    of 

Greenhouse  or  Grapery.  .167 

57.  Elevation  (in  part)  of  De- 

tached    Greenhouse     or 
Grapery 168 

58.  Three-quarter  Span  Green- 

house  .--171 

59.  Greenhouse,  Rose  House, 

and  Potting  Room 173 


VI 


INDEX  TO   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


60.  Greenhouse,  Rose  House, 

or  Vineiy 174 

61.  Conservatory  with  Wings.  175 
63.  Greenhouse  heated  by  Flue 

under  the  center  Bench-  .178 

63.  Section     of     Greenhouse 

heated  by  a  Flue ..180 

64.  Sunken  Pit 185 

65.  Greenhouse     and     Cellar 

Combined 188 

66.  Where  to  Cut  in  Pruning 

(too  close  to  Bud) 236 

67.  Where  to  Cut  hi  Pruning 

(too  far  from  Bud) 336 

68.  Where  to  Cut  in  Pruning 

(the  proper  place) 236 

69.  Pruning  tor  Shape  (where 

to  Cut) -237 

70.  Pruning     for    Shape    (to 

throw  branches  in). 287 

71.  Pruning    for    Shape     (to 

throw  branches  out) 237 

72.  Grape     Vine    with    Two 

Shoots -.. 240 

73.  Grape  Vine  with  Arms. . .  .240 

74.  Grape  Vine  Spur-Pruned.  .241 

75.  View  of  a  Vineyard 242 

76.  Grape  Vine  Cutting 243 

77.  Niagara  Grape  in  Fruit ....  245 

78.  Greenhouse    or      Grapery 

(Section) .247 

79.  Lean-to  Grapery  (Section)  249 

80.  Forcing  Grapery  (Plan)  .-..254 

81.  Front  Elevation  of  Forcing 

Grapery '.255 

82.  Section  of  ForcinirGrapery  255 

83.  Strawberry    (Striking     in 

Pots).. 258 

84.  Strawberry,the  Henderson  261 

85.  Strawberry,  Crimson  Clus- 

ter  262 

86.  Strawberry,  Jersey  Queen  263 

87.  Strawberry,   Sharpless 264 

88.  Strawberry,  the  Jewell -...265 

89.  Strawberry  Forcing  House  267 

90.  Raspberry,  Laying    down 

Canes 271 

91.  Raspberry,  Training  to  a 

Wire..::.. * 271 

92.  Raspberry,  the  Hansell . ...  272 

93.  Raspberry,  Golden  Queen. 274 

94.  Black      Cap      Raspberry 

(Thimbleberry),          the 
Gregg 275 

95.  Blackberry,      the      Early 

Harvest 277 

96.  Blackberry,  the  Wilson,  Jr.  278 


97.  Blackberry  or   Dewberry, 

Lucretia --279 

98.  Blackberry,  Crystal  White.280 

99.  Currant,  Fay's  Prolific.. -.281 

100.  Currant,  Black  Champion -281 

101.  Gooseberry,  The  lndustry.283 

102.  Cherry,  Black  Tartarian  ..287 

103.  Persimmon,  Japan 290 

104.  Apple,  Fall  Pippin 294 

i  105.  Pear,  The  Keitter 295 

'  106.  Pear,  Cordon  Training- ...296 

107.  Pear,  The  Bartlett 297 

108.  Plan  for  Fruit  and  Vege- 

table Garden 304 

109.  Asparagus,    Plant     With 

Roots  305 

110.  Asparagus,  The  Palmetto -306 

111.  Artichoke,  Globe. -.308 

112.  Artichoke,  Jerusalem 308 

113.  Brussels  Sprouts 313 

114.  Cauliflower,    Henderson's 

Early  Snowball 315 

115.  Cabbage,  Savoy 316 

116.  Carrot,  Varieties  of 317 

i  117.  Celery,  "Handling" 320 

118.  Celery,  Banked  Up 321 

1  119.  Celery,  Stored  in  Trenches 

for  Winter 322 

120.  Celery,  Henderson's  White 

Plume ...  ..-323 

121.  Corn,  Varieties  of  Sweet.. 326 
,  122.  Bryant's  Plant  Protector.  .327 
I  123.  Lettuce,         Black-seeded 

Simpson 332 

124.  Lettuce,  Paris  White  Cos.333 

125.  Musk  Melon,  Baltimore  ._334 

126.  Musk     Melon,     Montreal 

Market ....334 

127.  Water  Melon,  Scaly  Bark. 335 

128.  Mushrooms 337 

129.  Onion,    Southport    White 

Globe 341 

130.  Pea,  American  Wonder. ..343 

131.  Pea,    Champion    of    Eng- 

land  345 

132.  Rhubarb,  St.  Martin's 348 

133.  Sea  Kale rf50 

134.  Squash,  Essex  Hybrid..    352 

135.  Squash,  Hubbard ..353 

136.  Tomato  Perfection  Grown 

on  Trellis 354 

137.  Tomato  Perfection .355 

138.  Turnip,  White  Egg 356 

139.  Turnip,Extra  Early  Milan  357 
140-203.  Garden     Implements, 

---- --..     ...359-384 

Tail  Piece,  a  Cluster  of  Grapes  -  -298 


PREFACE  TO  SECOND  EDITION. 


TWELVE  years  Tiave  passed  since  the  first  edition  of 
"  Gardening  for  Pleasure  "  was  published.  In  that  time 
vast  strides  and  changes  have  been  made  in  all  depart- 
ments of  horticulture,  so  that  it  has  been  found  necessary 
not  only  to  greatly  enlarge  the  scope  of  this  work,  but 
also  to  make  many  changes.  The  newest  and  best 
methods  of  culture  have  been  substituted  for  such  as 
a  farther  experience  has  shown  to  have  been  faulty,  so 
that  it  is  believed  that  in  all  matters  pertaining  to 
amateur  gardening,  or  "gardening  for  pleasure,"  the 
ground  is  as  well  covered  as  is  practicable  in  a  book  of 
this  size  treating  on  such  a  great  variety  of  subjects.  As 
in  the  first  edition,  I  have  endeavored  to  use  the  plainest 
and  simplest  language  I  could,  avoiding  as  far  as  possible 
all  technical  and  scientific  terms  used  by  the  professional 
gardener,  the  use  of  which  would  only  tend  to  coniuse  and 
befog  the  beginner.  Although  this  work  is  written  only 
for  such  as  garden  for  pleasure,  yet  I  am  well  aware  that 
hundreds  every  season,  who  have  a  taste  for  horticulture, 
branch  out  from  private  into  commercial  gardening, 
either  from  necessity  or  for  a  love  of  making  a  business 
of  the  work.  To  such,  if  the  business  of  growing  flowers 
or  plants  for  sale  is  to  be  begun,  my  new  edition  of 
"Practical  Floriculture"  is  recommended.  If  growing 
fruit  or  vegetables  for  market,  I  advise  "  Gardening  for 
ProSt."  If  the  work  of  the  farm  is  wanted  to  be  made 
profitable,  I  flatter  myself  that  my  recent  work  on  that 
subject,  "  How  the  Farm  Pays,"  will  help  to  that  end. 

PETER  HENDERSON. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  FIRST  EDITIOJN. 


I  HAVE  endeavored,  in  writing  "  Gardening  for  Pleas- 
ure," to  divest  it,  as  far  as  I  was  competent  to  do  so,  of 
the  technical  terms  and  phrases  which  professional  gar- 
deners use  in  writing  or  talking  on  matters  relating  to 
horticulture,  and  to  use  tne  plainest  language  at  my 
command  in  describing  the  simplest  methods  of  culture. 
Whether  I  have  succeeded  in  making  the  subject  as  clear 
as  I  have  desired  to  do,  those  who  read  the  work  must 
decide. 

My  aim  in  writing  the  book  was  to  make  it  such  as 
would  be  useful  to  the'  occupant  of  a  city  lot,  or  to  the 
possessor  of  a  few  window  plants,  as  well  as  to  the  owner 
of  a  country  residence  that  is  fully  appointed  in  all  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  cultivation  of  flowers,  fruits,  and 
vegetables.  The  necessity  for  such  a  book  has  been 
made  evident  to  me  by  inquiries  from  hundreds  of 
amateurs  in  gardening ;  inquiries  to  many  of  which 
neither  of  my  previous  works  ("Gardening  for  Profit"  or 
"  Practical  Floriculture")  furnished  proper  replies  ;  the 
one  being  written  mainly  for  information  for  the  market 
gardener,  and  the  other  for  the  commercial  florist. 

PETER  HENDERSON. 


(8) 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


CHAPTER    I. 
LOCATION    AND    SOIL. 

WHENEVER  practicable  the  location  of  the  garden 
should  be  such  as  is  sheltered  from  the  north  and  west, 
either  by  hills  or  belts  of  timber.  Where  there  is  no  such 
shelter  naturally,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  to  plant  belts 
of  evergreens,  such  as  Norway  or  Hemlock  Spruce,  in 
double  or  treble  lines,  at  distances  of  six  or  eight  feet 
apart,  or  if  close  enough  to  form  hedges,  all  the  better. 
When  this  is  not  done,  a  high  board  fence  for  shelter  will 
answer  a  temporary  purpose,  but  is  neither  so  ornamental 
nor  so  effective  as  the  shelter  given  by  growing  trees. 
Evergreens,  such  as  Norway  or  Hemlock  Spruce,  can 
be  bought  from  two  to  three  feet  high,  at  from  $15  to 
$25  per  hundred,  and  should  be  planted,  according  to 
size,  from  three  to  four  feet  apart,  making  a  cheap  and 
ever-improving  screen  or  fence,  which  may  be  trimmed 
to  any  required  hight  or  thickness. 

It  is  rare,  in  determining  the  site  for  a  residence,  that 
the  soil  is  taken  into  consideration,  and,  in  consequence, 
we  sometimes  find  that  the  garden  surrounding  the  house 
presents  a  barren  appearance,  that  nothing  can  remedy 
short  of  placing  a  foot  of  good  soil  over  the  whole  surface. 
This  condition  is  not  so  often  due  to  the  natural  poverty 
(9) 


10  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

of  the  soil,  as  to  the  grading  off  the  surface  soil,  or 
to  filling  up  to  the  desired  grade  with  the  material 
thrown  out  in  excavating  the  cellars,  or  other  subsoil, 
clay,  or  gravelly  material,  and  placing  these  over  the 
soil  intended  for  the  garden.  This  is  often  done  for 
the  convenience  of  contractors,  to  the  great  injury  of  the 
proprietor,  without  either  being  aware  of  the  bad  results. 
As  a  good  soil  will  tend  more  than  all  else  to  give  satis- 
factory results  in  garden  operations,  it  is  all  important  to 
secure  it.  When  discretion  can  be  used  in  deciding  on  a 
location,  one  should  be  chosen  that  has  naturally  a  suit- 
able soil,  rather  than  to  attempt  to  make  it  so  by  carting 
a  foot  of  good  soil  over  the  bad,  which  would  be  found 
not  only  very  expensive,  but,  in  many  situations,  next  to 
impracticable.  I  have  before  said,  in  some  of  my  writ- 
ings on  this  subject,  that  the  soil  best  suited  for  all  gar- 
den purposes  is  what  is  known  as  "  sandy  loam,"  not 
less  than  ten  inches  deep,  with  a  subsoil  of  sand  or 
gravel.  Such  a  soil  rarely  requires  drainage,  is  easily 
worked,  and  gives  better  results  than  that  known  as 
"clayey  loam,"  with  a  putty-like  subsoil  of  blue  or 
yellow  clay,  which  must  be  drained  thoroughly  before 
a  seed  is  sown  or  a  plant  set  out,  or  there  will  be  no 
satisfactory  reward  for  the  labor. 


CHAPTER    II. 
DRAINAGE. 

As  drainage  will  be  in  many  instances  indispensable  to 
success,  I  will  briefly  state  a  few  of  the  simplest  methods 
that  may  be  adopted,  premising  that  it  is  utterly  useless 
to  expect  to  cultivate  any  soil  satisfactorily  that  does  not 
freely  and  rapidly  carry  off  the  surface  water.  An  expert 


DRAINAGE. 


11 


in  soils  can  determine  almost  to  a  certainty,  by  digging 
down  two  or  three  feet,  whether  or  not  a  soil  requires 
drainage ;  bnt  the  safest  guide  for  the  inexperienced  is  to 
judge  by  the  growing  crops  in  his 
neighborhood.  If  on  a  similar  soil 
good  crops  of  corn,  potatoes,  or 
hay  are  found  on  undrained  land, 
then  it  is  certain  there  is  no  ne- 
cessity to  drain;  for  no  matter  how 
cultivated,  or  how  heavily  manured 
land  is,  there  can  never  be  a  good 
crop  raised  in  any  season,  if  the 
soil  is  water-logged.  If  the  place 

to  be  drained  is  of  large  extent, 

,    i      i  -i.     -n      ^^«BP«w«P««aiii«wi 
and  the  ground  nearly  level,  it  will  •  L_BOTBLH  DRAIN. 

always  be  safer  to  call  in  the  services 

of  an  engineer  to  give  the  proper  levels  and  indicate  the 
necessary  fall,  which  should  never  be  less  than  half  a  foot 
in  the  hundred,  and  if  more  can  be  had,  so  much  the  bet- 
ter. In  heavy,  clayey  soils,  we  make  our  lateral  drains 
three  feet  deep  and  fifteen  feet  apart.  Where  there  is  less 
clay  in  the  subsoil  we  make  them  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  apart  and  four  feet  deep.  If  stones  are  plenty  on 
the  ground,  they  may  be  profitably  used  in  filling  up  the 
excavated  ditch  to  half  its  depth,  as  shown  in  figure  1, 


Fig.  2. — HOBSE-SHOE  DRAIN   TILE. 


and  which  is  known  as  a  rubble  drain,  using  the  larger 
stones  at  the  bottom  and  smaller  at  top,  and  covering 
over  with  inverted  sods,  or  six  inches  of  shavings  or  hay, 
to  keep  the  soil  from  being  washed  in  among  the  stones, 
and  thus  choking  up  the  drain.  But  when  they  can  be 


12  GARDENING    FOK   PLEASURE. 

obtained  at  a  reasonable  price,  the  best  and  most  durable 
draining  is  that  done  by  tiles.  It  makes  but  little  differ- 
ence whether  the  tile  used  is  the  round  with  collars,  or 
the  horse-shoe.  We  rather  prefer  the  latter,  particularly 
if  the  bottom  of  the  drain  is  "spongy,"  when  we  use  a 
board  for  the  bottom  of  the  drain,  as  shown  in  figure  2. 
Here,  again,  great  care  must  be  used  in  covering  up  the 
tile  with  sods,  shavings,  or  other  covering,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent the  soil  being  washed  into  the  crevices  and  choking 
up  the  drain.  This  board  is  a  common  one  of  hemlock 
or  spruce,  cut  in  four  pieces.  It  is  ripped  through  the 
middle,  and  then  these  parts  split  in  two,  making  boards 
of  five  inches  wide  by  half  an  inch  in  thickness,  thus 


Fig.  3.— TBIAHGULAK  BOARD  DBAIN. 

making  the  common  hemlock  board  stretch  out  to  a 
length  of  fifty  feet.  It  is  often  a  very  troublesome  mat- 
ter to  get  the  few  drain  tiles  necessary  to  drain  a  small 
garden,  and  in  such  cases  an  excellent  and  cheap  substi- 
tute can  be  had  by  using  one  of  boards.  Take  ordinary 
rough  boards,  pine,  hemlock,  or  spruce,  cut  them  into 
widths  of  three  or  four  inches,  and  nail  them  together 
BO  as  to  form  a  triangular  pipe,  as  represented  in  fig- 
are  3,  taking  care  to  "  break  the  joints"  in  putting  the 
lengths  together.  Care  must  also  be  taken  that  the  boards 
are  not  nailed  together  too  closely,  else  they  might  swell 
so  as  to  prevent  the  water  passing  into  the  drain  to  be 
carried  off.  These  drains  are  usually  set  with  a  flat  side 
down,  but  they  will  keep  clear  better  if  put  with  a  point 
down,  though  it  is  more  trouble  to  lay  them.  Drains 
made  in  this  way  will  last  much  longer  than  might  be  sup- 
posed. In  excavations  recently  made  we  found  wooden 


PREPARATION    OF  THE    GROUND.  13 

drains  in  perfect  order  that  had  been  in  the  ground  for 
twenty-five  years. 


CHAPTER    III. 
PREPARATION    OF    THE    GROUND. 

AFTER  draining  (if  draining  is  necessary)  comes  the 
preparation  of  the  soil.  Presuming  that  the  ground 
where  the  new  garden  is  to  be  made  is  an  open  space, 
clear  of  trees  or  other  obstructions,  there  is  no  cultiva- 
tion so  cheap  and  yet  so  thorough  as  plowing  and  har- 
rowing. To  do  this  properly,  the  ordinary  plow  should 
be  followed  by  the  subsoil  plow,  stirring  the  subsoil  up 
about  fifteen  inches  deep,  so  that  the  water  will  pass 
through  to  the  drains,  natural  or  artificial,  freely.  After 
the  plow  and  subsoiler,  follows  the  harrow  (the  Acme  is 
the  best ;  see  Implements),  which  should  be  weighted,  so 
that  the  teeth  sink  six  inches  into  the  soil,  in  order  to 
completely  pulverize  it.  In  Europe,  it  would  be  consid- 
ered sacrilege  to  use  a  plow  or  harrow  in  the  preparation 
of  a  private  garden,  and  most  of  old-country  gardeners 
among  us  will  stand  aghast  at  such  advice  ;  but  I  have 
been  through  all  parts  of  the  work,  and  am  well  satisfied, 
from  no  limited  practice,  that  plowing  and  harrowing 
will  not  only  do  the  work  at  one-fourth  of  the  cost,  but 
in  a  better  manner  than  the  ordinary  digging  or  trench- 
ing with  the  spade.  Let  me  here  caution  that  great  care 
be  taken  never  to  plow,  dig,  harrow,  rake,  or  hoe  ground 
when  wet.  If  work  must  be  done,  pull  out  weeds,  or  set 
plants,  if  you  will,  but  never,  under  any  circumstances, 
stir  the  soil  in  preparation  for  a  crop  until  it  is  dry 
enough  not  to  clog.  If  stirred  while  wet,  the  particles 
stick  together,  and  the  crop  is  not  only  injured  for  the 
season,  but  in  some  soils  the  bad  effects  show  for  years. 


14  GARDENING   FOK   PLBASUEE. 

CHAPTER   IV. 
WALKS. 

IT  is  no  unusual  thing  to  see  the  owner  of  a  neat  cot- 
tage make  himself  perfectly  ridiculous  by  the  way  in 
which  he  lays  out  the  walk  from  the  street  to  his  front 
door.  There  is  a  prevailing  opinion  that  such  walks 
should  be  curved  ones,  and  gentlemen,  often  otherwise 
shrewd  and  intelligent,  place  themselves  without  ques- 
tion in  the  hands  of  some  self-styled  "garden  architect," 
and  thus  manage  to  make  themselves  the  laughing  stock 
of  a  neighborhood.  There  was  a  well-marked  instance 
of  this  in  a  garden  occupying  a  block  in  almost  the  cen- 
ter of  Jersey  City,  where  a  man  pretending  to  have  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  subject,  induced  the  proprietor  to  have 
a  walk  running  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  street 
to  the  house,  made  so  curved  that  its  length  was  nearly 
twice  that  distance.  It  was  hard  on  the  butcher's  and 
grocer's  boys,  and  it  was  said  that  even  book-peddlers, 
sewing-machine  agents,  and  lightning-rod  men  looked 
ruefully  at  it  and  left  him  in  peace.  Some  old  authority 
on  this  subject  says  that  there  "never  should  be  any 
deviation  from  a  straight  line  unless  from  some  real  or 
apparent  cause."  So  if  curved  lines  are  insisted  on,  a 
tree,  rock,  or  building  must  be  placed  at  the  bend  as  a 
reason  for  going  around  such  obstacles.  It  will  be  evi- 
dent to  any  one  who  reflects  upon  the  matter,  that  a 
curved  walk  running  a  distance  of  a  hundred  yards  or  so 
from  the  street  to  the  house,  across  an  implanted  lawn, 
is  utterly  absurd.  All  short  foot-walks  from  the  street 
to  the  house  should  be  straight,  entering  from  the  street  at 
as  near  right  angles  us  possible,  and  leading  direct  to  the 
front  door.  There  should  be  no  necessity  for  a  carriage 
road  to  the  front  entrance  of  a  house,  unless  it  is  distant 


WALKS. 


15 


at  least  100  feet  from  the  street,  and  then  a  drive  is  best 
made  by  having  an  entrance  at  each  side  of  the  lot,  as 
given  in  figure  4,  presuming  that  the  width  of  the 
ground  is  500  feet,  and  the  distance  from  the  street  to  the 
front  door  is  150  feet.  Even  here  the  foot-walk  should 
be  direct.  The  width  of  the  roads  or  walks  must  be 
governed  by  the  extent  of  the  grounds.  For  carriage- 
way the  width  should  not  be  less  than  ten  feet,  and  for 
foot-walks,  five  feet.  Nothing  is  more  annoying  than  to 


Fig.  4. — APPROACH   TO  A  HOUSE — DRIVE  AND   PATH. 

have  a  shower-bath  in  early  morning  from  the  dew  from 
an  overhanging  branch  in  your  narrow  walk.  We  often 
see  gardens  of  considerable  pretensions  where  the  walks 
are  not  more  than  three  fet  wide,  where  it  is  utterly  im- 
possible for  two  persons  to  walk  abreast  without  getting 
their  dresses  torn  or  faces  scratched  by  overhanging 
branches.  Besides,  it  argues  a  narrowness  in  the 
owner,  particularly  if  the  grounds  are  at  all  extensive, 
and  looks  as  if  he  were  determined  to  cultivate  every 
available  foot  of  land.  Of  course,  it  is  another  matter 
when  the  garden  plot  is  limited  to  the  width  of  a  city  lot 
(20  or  525  feet) ;  then  such  economy  of  space  is  perfectly 
excusable.  The  character  of  the  soil  must  in  a  great 
measure  determine  the  manner  of  making  roads  or  walks. 
Every  one  must  have  noticed  that,  after  a  heavy  rain,  un- 
paved  streets  in  some  districts  remain  next  to  impassable 


16  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

for  many  hours,  while  in  others,  after  the  same  amount 
of  rain,  the  roads  will  seem  firm  and  comparatively  dry. 
In  the  former  all  carriage  roads,  and  even  foot-walks,  to 
have  any  satisfaction  from  them,  should  have  their  foun- 
dations formed  something  like  that  shown  in  figure  5. 
This  gives  thorough  drainage  for  the  water  at  each  side, 
and  a  depth  of  from  one  foot  at  center  to  two  feet  on 
sides  of  rubble  stone  and  gravel  to  form  the  bed  of  the 
road  or  walk  ;  but  in  sandy  or  gravelly  soils,  through 
which  the  water  passes  quickly,  no  such  expense  is  nec- 
essary, as  an  equally  good  road  may  be  made  by  five  or 
six  inches  of  gravel.  In  foot-walks  on  such  soils,  I  have 


Fig.  5.— SECTION  OF  ROAD  WITH  DRAIN  EACH   SIDE. 

found  that  three  or  four  inches  of  gravel  mixed  with  one 
fourth  its  bulk  of  cement  to  "bind,"  when  watered  and 
well  rolled,  makes  an  excellent  smooth  walk,  and  one  in 
which,  because  of  its  hardness,  there  is  no  trouble  with 
weeds.  Let  me  here  say,  that  when  weeds  are  trouble- 
some on  walks,  or  more  particularly  in  paved  gutters, 
that  the  quickest  way  to  get  rid  of  them  is  to  sow  salt 
over  the  surface  about  as  thick  as  sand  is  strewed  on  a 
floor,  and  then  sprinkle  with  water.  Care  must  be  taken, 
however,  that  the  salt  does  not  get  on  the  grass  or  other 
plants,  as,  of  course,  it  would  be  as  quickly  destructive  to 
these  as  to  the  weeds. 


MANUJRES.  17 

CHAPTER    V. 
MANURES. 

WHETHER  one  wishes  to  cultivate  vegetables,  fruits,  or 
flowers,  all  soils,  to  give  good  results,  sooner  or  later  need 
manure;  and  this  is  more  particularly  the  case  with  what 
are  known  as  "vegetables,"  these  being  usually  quick 
growing,  succulent  plants.  No  "fertilizer"  answers  so 
well  for  all  purposes  as  thoroughly  decayed  stable  ma- 
nure ;  whether  from  horse  or  cow  stable  makes  but  little 
difference,  except  that  that  from  the  horse  stable  is  best 
suited  for  heavy  soils,  while  that  from  the  cow  stable 
suits  best  for  light  soils.  The  quantity  used  for  vegeta- 
bles or  fruits  should  not  be  less  than  would  cover  the  whole 
surface  of  the  ground  at  least  three  inches  deep,  and  it 
should  be  mixed  with  the  soil  as  thoroughly  as  possible 
by  plowing  or  spading.  In  the  absence  of  stable  manure, 
recourse  must  be  had  to  concentrated  fertilizers,  the  best 
of  which  are  Peruvian  guano  and  bone  dust.  Here  a 
word  of  caution  is  necessary  as  to  the  quantity  to  be 
used,  as  their  fertilizing  qualities  are  concentrated  in- 
stead of-  being  diffused,  as  in  stable  manure.  If  either 
guano  or  bone  dust,  or  fertilizers  of  similar  character, 
come  directly  in  contact,  in  large  quantities,  with  the 
roots  of  plants,  it  injures  them  beyond  remedy  ;  hence  in 
the  use  of  these  the  necessity  for  caution.  In  our  large 
field  practice  in  vegetable  growing,  we  use  about  2,000  Ibs. 
per  acre  of  guano,  sowing  it  on  the  surface  of  the  ground 
after  plowing,  and  then  harrowing  it  in  so  as  to  mix  it 
with  the  soil  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches.  Now,  as 
there  aro  4,840  square  yards  in  an  acre,  it  will  be  seen 
that  something  less  than  half  a  pound  of  guano  or  bone 
dust  is  required  for  every  square  yard  of  surface  to  be 
fertilized.  This  quantity  will  just  nicely  cover  the  sur- 


18  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

face  about  as  thick  as  the  sand  on  a  sanded  floor.  After 
spreading  on  the  dug  surface,  it  should  be  mixed  with 
the'  soil  with  a  spading  fork  or  long  toothed  rake  to  the 
depth  of  five  or  six  inches,  bearing  in  mind  that  the  more 
thoroughly  it  is  mixed  with  the  soil  the  better  will  be  the 
result.  If  used  in  "  hills  "  for  corn,  tomatoes,  melons, 
etc.,  the  same  proportionate  quantity  is  to  be  applied, 
and  the  mixing  must  be  equally  thorough.  Wood  ashes 
are  often  a  convenient  fertilizer,  and  will  be  found  to  give 
excellent  results  if  used  as  advised  for  guano  and  bone 
dust ;  but  three  or  four  times  the  quantity  will  be  re- 
quired to  obtain  the  same  results. 

HOW  TO    USE   CONCENTRATED    FERTILIZERS. 

Whatever  kind  of  concentrated  fertilizer  may  be  used, 
I  find  it  well  repays  the  labor  to  prepare  it  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  to  every  bushel  of  fertilizer  add  three  bush- 
els of  either  leaf  mold  (from  the  woods),  well  pulverized 
muck,  sweepings  from  a  paved  street,  or,  in  the  absence 
of  either  of  the  above,  common  garden  soil.  In  every 
case  the  material  employed  must  be  as  dry  as  it  is  possi- 
ble to  procure  it.  When  guano  is  used,  be  careful  to 
have  it  thoroughly  pulverized  and  broken  up  before  mix- 
ing with  the  other  ingredients.  The  fertilizer  must  be 
well  mixed  with  the  soil  or  mold  used  by  turning  it  at  least 
twice.  This  mixing  should  be  done  in  winter,  or  early 
spring,  and  the  material  packed  away  in  barrels  in  a  dry 
place  for  at  least  a  month  before  using  it.  The  main  ob- 
ject of  this  operation  is  for  the  better  separation  and  di- 
vision of  the  fertilizer,  so  that,  when  applied,  it  can 
be  more  regularly  distributed  over  the  land ;  besides  this, 
no  doubt  the  fertilizing  qualities  of  the  leaf-mold  or 
other  substance  are  developed  by  this  treatment.  Experi- 
ment has  shown  that  this  method  of  using  concentrated 
fertilizers  of  nearly  all  kinds  materially  increases  their 
value.  One  of  the  most  successful  market  gardeners  in 


MANURES.  19 

our  neighborhood  has  adopted  this  method  for  years, 
and  in  extensive  experiments  with  different  kinds  of  fer- 
tilizers, with  and  without  being  mixed,  finds  a  saving  of 
quite  one  third  in  quantity  in  thus  treating  them.  He 
finds  that  1,200  Ibs.  of  guano,  mixed  with  two  tons  of 
garden  soil,  and  sown  over  the  surface  after  plowing,  and 
then  harrowed  in,  is  equal  in  effect  to  2,000  Ibs.  of  guano 
used  without  mixing. 

We  have  ourselves  experimented  with  guano,  blood 
and  bone,  and  bone  flour,  with  nearly  like  results,  and 
as  atop  dressing  for  grass  we  think  the  advantage  of  mix- 
ing is  even  more  marked.  When  fertilizers  are  applied 
to  corn,  potatoes,  tomatoes,  etc.,  in  hills  or  drills,  it  is 
not  only  more  economical  to  mix  in  this  manner,  but 
much  safer  in  inexperienced  hands;  for  when  any  strong 
fertilizer  is  used  pure,  injury  is  often  done  to  the  roots  by 
their  coming  in  contact  with  it  in  too  great  quantity  in  the 
raw  state,  owing  to  imperfect  mixing  in  the  hill  or  drill, 
while,  if  composted  as  advised  above,  the  danger  is  much 
less. 

In  regard  to  which  of  the  fertilizers  is  most  desirable, 
we  find  but  little  difference,  provided  each  is  pure. 
Guano  at  $80  per  ton  is  relatively  as  cheap  as  blood  and 
bone  fertilizer  at  $G5,  bone  flour  at  $50.  or  superphosphate 
at  $40 ;  for  in  the  lower  priced  articles  we  find  we  are 
obliged  to  increase  the  quantity  to  obtain  the  same  results, 
so  that  the  cost  is  nearly  alike  whichever  be  used.  The  all- 
important  point  is  the  purity  of  the  article,  a  matter  that 
few  working  farmers  or  gardeners  ever  attempt  to  decide 
except  by  the  results  in  culture;  hence  we  advise  each  one 
who  has  been  using  a  fertilizer  that  has  proved  satisfac- 
tory, to  experiment  but  lightly  with  another  until  the 
new  article  has  proved  its  merits.  The  competition  in  the 
manufacture  of  articles  so  much  in  use  as  fertilizers,  has 
in  many  instances  forced  down  prices  below  the  point  at 
which  they  can  be  profitably  produced  in  a  pure  state;  hence 


20  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

the  widespread  adulteration  with  "salt  cake,"  "plaster," 
and  other  articles  utterly  worthless  but  to  make  weight. 
Next  in  meanness  to  the  quack  who  extracts  money  from 
a  poor  consumptive  for  his  vile  nostrums,  is  the  man  who 
compels  the  poor  farmer  or  gardener,  maybe  a  thousand 
miles  away  struggling  for  an  existence,  to  pay  freight  on 
the  sand  mixed  with  his  guano,  or  the  plaster  in  his  bone 
dust.  In  this  relation  I  am  reminded  of  a  retribution 
that  fell  on  the  "Sands  of  Life"  man,  who  figured  so 
conspicuously  a  few  years  ago  in  New  York.  The  adver- 
tisement of  this  philanthropic  gentleman,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, was  that  "A  retired  clergyman,  whose  Sands 
of  Life  had  nearly  run  out,"  would,  for  a  consideration, 
tell  how  the  "running  out"  could  be  stopped  in  others. 
A  kind-hearted  fellow  in  Illinois,  deeply  sympathizing 
with  the  old  gentleman  on  account  of  his  loss  of  "sand," 
sent  him  by  express — but  forgot  to  prepay — a  thousand 
pounds  of  the  article  !  It  is  reported  that  the  "  retired 
clergyman,"  on  opening  the  cask,  expressed  himself  in  a 
manner  not  only  ungrateful,  but  utterly  unclerical.  We 
counsel  no  vengeance,  but  if  some  of  these  sand-mixing 
guano  men  could  have  the  sand  sifted  out  by  their  vic- 
tims with  compound  interest  added,  and  returned  to  them 
under  the  fostering  care  of  an  express  company,  it 
would  be  but  even-handed  justice. 


CHAPTER    VI. 
SPECIAL    FERTILIZERS    FOR    PARTICULAR    PLANTS. 

A  MAN  called  at  my  office  a  few  yenrs  ago  with  some 
dozen  bottles  as  samples  of  special  manures,  indispensa- 
ble, he  said,  as  fertilizers  for  certain  kinds  of  plants. 
He  had  those  with  him  that  he  claimed  to  be  specially 
prepared  for  cabbage,  corn,  potatoes,  wheat,  grass,  lawns, 


SPECIAL   FERTILIZERS  FOR   PARTICULAR   PLANTS.      21 

beets,  etc.,  etc.  He  even  invaded  Flora's  realm,  and  de- 
clared that  liis  nostrum  for  Eoses  was  a  specific  for  any 
languid  capers  of  this  sometimes  rather  coquettish  queen 
of  flowers.  His  own  arguments,  which  were  rather 
plausible  and  glibly  uttered,  were  backed  up  by  numer- 
ous certificates — authentic,  I  have  no  doubt — where  nis 
"potato  fertilizer"  had  worked  wonders  with  some, 
with  others  his  "corn  manure"  had  been  of  undoubted 
benefit,  and  so  on  all  through  the  list. 

Now,  I  have  no  reason  to  say  that  the  vender  of  these 
fertilizers  was  a  quack,  except  the  broad  fact,  gathered 
from  an  experience  of  nearly  forty  years,  that  has  shown 
me  that  it  makes  but  little  difference  with  what  fertilizer 
a  crop  is  treated,  provided  the  soil  is  properly  pulverized 
and  the  fertilizer  applied  in  proper  proportions  according 
to  its  strength.  Had  all  his  separate  kinds  of  fertilizers 
been  taken  from  the  same  bag  (provided  that  bag  con- 
tained a  good  article  of  bone  dust  or  guano),  the  result 
to  his  patrons  would  have  been  the  same,  whether  he  had 
used  it  on  one  or  all  of  the  crops  that  he  had  special  pre- 
scriptions for. 

There  are  few  market  gardeners  in  the  vicinity  of  New 
York  who  have  not,  at  one  time  or  another,  been  obliged 
to  take  anything  they  could  get  for  fertilizing  purposes, 
and  the  difference  has  never  been  specially  perceptible 
when  manure  from  horse  stables  or  cow  stables  have 
been  applied,  or  when  $100  per  acre  have  been  expended 
for  bone  dust  or  Peruvian  guano,  and  these  all  used 
on  a  dozen  different  crops  without  any  discrimination. 
Agricultural  chemistry  may  be  all  very  well  in  some 
respects,  but  if  it  gets  down  to  such  hair-splitting 
niceties  as  analyzing  scores  of  special  plants,  and  telling 
us  that  we  must  feed  each  with  only  just  such  food  as 
the  analysis  shows  it  to  be  composed  of,  then  our  common 
sense,  born  of  practical  experience,  must  scout  and  ridi- 
cule such  nonsense. 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


Plants,  like  animals,  are  not  so  much  kept  in  good 
health  by  the  special  kind  of  food  given  as  by  the  proper 
quantity  and  conditions  surrounding  the  individual  when 
the  food  is  received  ;  and  what  proper  temperature  and 
pulverization  of  soil  are  to  the  plant,  air  and  exercise, 
and  also  proper  temperature,  are  the  corresponding  con- 
ditions necessary  for  healthy  animal  life.  Who  will  say 
that  the  beef-fed  English  laborer  is  in  any  way  the  phys- 
ical superior  of  the  Irishman  or  Scotchman  whose  daily 
food  has  only  been  potatoes  and  oat-meal  ?  You  get 
usually  fine  -and  nearly  equal  development  in  each  case, 
but  it'is  a  condition  due  to  a  natural  use  of  the  muscles 
in  the  open  air  in  a  congenial  climate  rather  than  to 
anything  special  in  the  food.  It  would  be  quite  as  rea- 
sonable t:>  tell  us  that  a  special  food,  chemically  consid- 
ered, is  necessary  for  each  class  of  our  domestic  animals 
as  for  our  domestic  plants,  and  none  but  the  veriest 
charlatan  or  ignoramus  will  do  either. 


CHAPTER    VII. 
THE    LAWN. 

SINCE  the  introduction  of  the  lawn  mower,  the  keep- 
ing of  the  lawn  has  been  so  simplified  that  no  suburban 
residence  is  complete  without  one,  and  there  is  now  no 
more  excuse  for  tall  grass  "  going  to  hay  "  in  the  door 
yard  than  there  would  be  for  cobwebs  taking  possession 
of  the  rooms  inside  the  dwelling.  We  occasionally  see 
some  parsimonious  individual,  even  now,  who  remembers 
that  in  his  grandfather's  days  grass  was  allowed  to  grow 
for  the  food  of  the  "critters,"  and  he  leaves  it  for  food  for 
his  "critters"  still ;  though  at  the  same  time  his  furni- 
ture inside,  that  nobody  but  himself  ever  sees,  or  has  an 


THE    LAWN.  23 

opportunity  to  admire,  for  such  men  are  not  usually  trou- 
bled with  friends,  may  have  cost  him  $5,000  or  $10,000. 
We  have  two  or  three  notable  examples  of  this  kind  in  our 
immediate  neighborhood,  but  it  is  gratifying  to  know 
that  such  neighbors  are  not  numerous,  for  the  example 
of  the  majority  will  soon  shame  them  into  decency.  To 
have  a  lawn  in  first  rate  condition,  the  ground  must  be 
put  iii  order  in  the  way  described  under  the  heads  of 
"  Draining  "  and  "Preparation  of  the  Soil ;"  for  if  these 
are  necessary  anywhere,  they  are  still  more  necessary  for 
the  lawn,  the  soil  of  which  should  be  as  thoroughly  pul- 
verized and  enriched  by  manure  as  any  ground  intended 
for  the  cultivation  of  either  vegetables  or  fruits. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  to  have  the  surface  of  the 
ground  for  the  lawn  (unless  a  very  large  one)  made 
perfectly  level ;  for  if  this  is  not  done  before  the  lawn  is 
sown,  it  cannot  be  altered  except  at  great  expense  and 
inconvenience.  After  the  surface  is  made  level  roughly, 
it  should  be  further  smoothed  with  the  rake,  or,  what  is 
even  better,  the  disc  harrow  (see  Implements),  and  all 
stones  of  any  considerable  size  removed,  so  that  the  surface 
will  be  smooth  for  the  action  of  the  lawn  mower.  Wher- 
ever the  extent  of  the  lawn  does  not  exceed  2,500  square 
feet,  and  where  sods  can  be  obtained  from  a  suitable  pasture 
near  at  hand  without  much  cost,  the  quickest  way  to  make 
the  lawn  is  to  sod  it ;  but  before  doing  so,  the  ground 
should  be  rolled  or  beaten  down,  particularly  if  any  por- 
tion of  it  has  been  filled  in,  so  that  there  may  be  no 
*'  settling"  to  form  hollows  or  inequalities.  A  conven- 
ient size  of  sod  to  lay  down  is  twelve  by  eighteen  inches, 
and  of  a  thickness  of  two  inches.  In  laying  see  that  the 
edges  are  neatly  laid  together,  and  the  whole  firmly 
beaten  down  with  the  back  of  a  spade.  If  it  is  dry 
weather  when  the  work  is  done,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
thoroughly  drench  the  newly-laid  sod  for  a  week  or  so 
alter,  every  other  evening.  When  the  lawn  is  too  ex- 


24  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

tensive  to  be  soddel,  it  can  be  sown  with  grass  seed,  which 
will  produce  a  good  lawn  in  three  or  four  months. 

Some  of  the  fine  lawns  seen  at  Newport,  K.  I.,  are 
composed  almost  entirely  of  Rhode  Island  Bent  Grass 
mixed  with  about  one-sixth  of  white  clover  ;  but  the  hu^ 
miditv  of  the  atmosphere  there  has  no  doubt  more  to  do 
with  the  richness  of  the  lawn  than  the  variety  of  grass  it 
is  composed  of.  I  may  add  a  caution  against  the  use  of 
spurious  seed  for  this  purpose.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing, 
either  through  ignorance  or  short-sighted  economy,  for 
"hayseed"  to  be  taken  direct  from  the  buy  loft  and  sown 
to  form  the  lawn.  If  from  good  hay,  the  seed  will  be  prin- 
cipally orchard  grass  or  timothy  and  red  clover,  and  vain 
would  be  all  the  attempts  to  get  a  smooth  lawn  from  such 
a  source.  It  would  be  about  as  reasonable  to  expect  tigs 
from  thistles.  The  mixtures  of  grasses  prepared  by  the 
seedsmen  for  the  purpose  are  the  simplest  and  safest  to 
use.  If  the  soil  is  rich,  and  has  been  thoroughly  pre- 
pared, three  bushels  of  the  lawn  grass  mixture  per  acre 
will  be  sufficient;  but  if  thin  and  poor,  from  four  to  five 
bushels  had  better  be  sown.  If  for  small  areas,  sow  at 
the  rate  of  one  quart  for  a  space  twenty  by  fifteen,  or  three 
hundred  square  feet.  If  sown  in  early  spring,  as  soon  as 
the  soil  is  dry  enough  to  work,  a  good  lawn  will  be 
formed  by  midsummer  the  first  year,  if  it  has  been  mown 
regularly  at  intervals  of  eight  or  ten  days.  The  seed 
must  be  sown  as  evenly  as  possible,  and  for  this  reason 
a  calm  day  must  be  chosen,  as  a  very  slight  wind  will 
throw  the  seed  into  heaps.  After  sowing,  the  ground 
may  be  lightly  harrowed  if  the  surface  is  large  ;  if  not, 
give  it  an  even  raking ;  but  in  either  case  the  ground 
should  be  smoothed  down  with  a  roller  or  patted  with  a 
spade,  so  as  to  form  a  smooth  surface  to  be  mowed.  Al- 
though, if  a  choice  can  be  had,  it  is  best  to  sow  the  lawn 
seed  in  early  spring,  in  this  latitude  in  March,  April,  or 
May,  yet  it  can  be  sown  nearly  as  profitably  in  September, 


THE    LAWN.  25 

or  in  the  more  southerly  states  in  October.  To  keep  the 
lawn  in  proper  condition,  it  should  be  mowed  over  once 
every  week  if  the  weather  is  moist,  and  not  less  than  once 
in  two  weeks  even  in  dry  weather ;  for  if  the  lawn  has 
been  properly  made  in  the  first  place,  and  "top  dressed" 
with  a  good  coat  of  well-rotted  manure  in  fall,  and  the 
rough  parts  raked  off  in  spring,  the  weather  must  be  dry 
and  hot  indeed  to  prevent  its  growth. 

LAWNS   ON    SLOPING    BANKS. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  get  a  growth  of  grass  from 
seed  on  a  sloping  bank  at  an  angle  of  even  fifteen  degrees, 
because  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  on  the  sloping  bank  would 
wash  off  the  fresh  soil  before  the  grass  seed  has  formed 
enough  roots  to  hold  the  young  grass  in  place.  To 
remedy  this  the  following  plan  will  be  found  most 
effective.  To  an  area  fifteen  by  twenty — three  hundred 
square  feet — or  in  this  proportion,  be  the  area  large  or 
small,  take  two  quarts  of  lawn  grass  seed  and  mix  it  with 
four  bushels  of  rather  stiff  soil,  to  which  add  two  bushels 
of  cow  manure  ;  mix  the  whole  with  water  to  the  con- 
sistency of  thin  mortar.  This  mixture  is  to  be  spread  on 
the  sloping  bank,  first  having  scratched  the  surface  of  the 
bank  with  a  rake.  It  should  be  spread  as  thinly  as  will 
make  a  smooth  and  even  surface  ;  in  short,  just  as  plaster 
is  spread  on  a  wall.  The  grass  seed  will  start  rapidly, 
and  quickly  make  a  sod  of  the  richest  green,  its  smooth, 
hard  surface  preventing  its  bein?  furrowed  out  by  the 
rains.  It  will  be  necessary,  until  the  grass  has  fully 
covered  the  surface,  to  keep  the  plastered  bank  covered 
with  hay  or  straw  to  prevent  the  covering  from  drying  or 
cracking.  If  the  weather  is  dry  a  gentle  watering  will 
hasten  the  growth  of  the  seed.  If  sown  at  a  season  when 
the  temperature  averages  seventy  degrees,  a  green  sward 
will  be  obtained  in  fifteen  days.  By  this  method,  using 
orchard  or  other  strong  growing  grasses,  no  cheaper  or 


26  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

better  plan  could  be  adopted  for  keeping  up  railroad  or 
other  embankments. 

TO    RENOVATE   OLD    LAWNS. 

Lawns  that  have  been  worn  ont  by  neglect  or  other 
causes,  or  where  it  is  not  convenient  or  desirable  to  renew 
them  by  plowing  up,  will  be  greatly  benefited  by  running 
a  light  harrow  over  them  if  the  surface  is  large,  or  by  a 
sharp  steel  rake  for  smaller  areas.  After  stirring  the 
surface  by  such  means,  judiciously,  so  as  not  to  injure  the 
roots  too  severely,  lawn  grass  should  be  sown  over  the 
surface,  using  about  half  the  quantity  of  seed  required 
for  new  lawns,  and  over  this,  for  each  acre,  or  in  the  same 
proportions  for  lesser  areas,  sow  five  hundred  pounds  of 
some  good  "  lawn  enricher  ;"  again  harrow  or  rake,  and 
roll  down  firmly. 

WEEDS   IN    LAWNS, 

such  as  thistles,  dandelions,  dock  roots,  etc.,  can  only  be 
removed  by  cutting  them  out  with  a  knife.  Thistle  and 
dock  roots  should  be  removed  as  far  as  possible ;  but  as 
to  others,  there  is  no  necessity  for  cutting  the  whole  root 
out.  If  cut  beloiv  the  crown  the  root  will  not  start  again. 

ANTS    ON    LAWNS 

are  a  pest  that  we  are  almost  powerless  to  cope  with. 
Nothing  seems  to  poison  them,  as  either  their  instinct 
teaches  them  to  avoid  the  ordinary  insect  poisons,  or 
their  constitutions  are  proof  against  them.  Every  thing 
we  have  tried  has  failed,  except  Pyrethrum  or  Persian 
Insect  Powder.  This  applied  by  a  bellows  quickly  suffo- 
cates them  ;  but  every  insect  needs  to  be  struck  by  it,  or 
it  is  useless,  as  it  only  kills  them  by  suffocation. '  They 
can  also  be  captured  by  placing  fresh  bones  or  molasses 
in  plates  around  their  haunts  ;  they  attack  these  before 
any  thing  else.  By  persistently  thus  catching  and  de- 
stroying them  two  or  three  times  a  day,  they  may  be 
permanently  got  rid  of. 


DESIGN   FOR   GARDEN.  27 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

DESIGN    FOR    GARDEN. 

i 

As  this  book  is  intended  to  comprehend  all  the  wants 
of  a  cottage  or  suburban  garden,  including  flowers,  fruits, 
and  vegetables,  it  would  increase  its  size  too  much  to 
give  a  great  variety  of  designs  for  the  flower  garden. 
Those  that  require  such  should  consult  some  intelli- 
gent landscape  gardener.  Intelligent,  I  say,  for  nine 
out  of  ten  that  pretend  to  be  landscape  gardeners  are 
not ;  but  consult  a  man  able  to  draw  a  neat  design,  for 
if  he  cannot  do  that  he  is  not  a  very  safe  person  to  be 
intrusted  with  the  working  out  of  the  plan  of  another. 
You  are  careful  to  ascertain  that  the  architect  for  your 
house  is  a  man  of  education  and  intelligence  before  you 
entrust  yourself  in  his  hands,  but  when  it  comes  to  de- 
signing the  lawn  and  flower  grounds,  the  veriest  bog- 
trotter,  who  styles  himself  a  "landscaper,"  is  too  often 
allowed  to  display  his  "art,"  and  at  the  same  time  make 
you  ridiculous.  Rest  assured  that  if  such  a  pretender 
has  not  had  ambition  enough  to  become  fairly  well  in- 
structed, he  is  not  likely  to  show  much  taste  in  designing 
your  grounds. 

The  design  (fig.  6)  shows  an  area  of  200  feet  by  350,  or 
a  plot  of  nearly  two  acres.  About  one  third  of  the  whole 
facing  the  street  is  used  for  flower  garden  and  for  dwell- 
ing, the  two-thirds  in  the  rear  for  fruit  and  vegetable 
grounds.  There  is  a  point  in  this  sketch  to  which  I 
wish  to  call  attention,  as  it  is  one  too  often  lost  sight  of. 
The  flower  garden  and  lawn  face  the  street,  while  the 
fruit  and  vegetable  grounds  are  at  the  rear.  The  view  of 
these  from  the  street  is  shut  out  upon  one  side  by  a 
screen  or  tall  hedge  of  evergreens,  H,  and  upon  the  other 
by  a  curvilinear  glass  structure,  Q,  which  may  be  used 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


200  Feet  Front. 

Fig.  6.— DESIGN   FOB  LAYING   OUT  GROUNDS. 


DESIGN   FOE  GARDEN.  29 

either  as  a  grapery  or  a  greenhouse.  The  walk,  w,  passes 
on  each  side  of  the  house  to  connect  with  other  walks  at 
the  rear.  The  beds,  F,  may  be  planted  in  ribbon  lines 
either  Avith  flowering  plants  or  those  with  brilliant  and 
strongly  contrasting  foliage.  The  flower  beds,  F,  each 
side  of  the  entrance  near  the  front,  may  be  made  of  any 
form  that  may  be  preferred.  A  simple  circle,  planted  as 
suggested  in  the  next  chapter,  will  produce  a  good  effect, 
and  be  more  easily  cared  for  than  beds  of  the  style  here 
given.  Most  persons,  where  the  floral  ornamentation  is, 
as  in  this  case,  confined  to  a  few  effective  masses,  j refer 
to  change  not  only  the  manner  of  planting  such  beds 
each  year,  but  to  alter  their  form  occasionally.  The 
unbroken  area  of  lawn  at  c  is  intended  for  a  croquet 
ground.  At  the  rear  of  the  house  the  central  walk  is 
spanned  by  a  grape  arbor,  G  A,  if  one  wishes  the  vines 
to  afford  shade,  or  a  simple  trellis  may  run  on  each  side. 
The  borders  next  the  fence  on  each  side  and  at  the  rear 
(not  shown  in  the  plan)  may  also  be  used  for  grapes,  or 
will  be  convenient  for  raspberries,  currants,  and  other 
small  fruits.  The  large  plots,  v  F,  are  for  the  main 
crops  of  vegetables  and  fruits.  Asparagus,  rhubarb,  straw- 
berries, and  such  other  crops  as  remain  year  after  year 
without  being  disturbed,  should  be  so  placed  at  the  out- 
set as  to  be  interfered  with  as  little  as  possible  in  the 
frequent  working  of  the  soil  necessary  for  other  crops. 
A  lot  of  this  size  will  require  the  labor  of  one  man,  whose 
time  must  be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  garden,  and  to 
nothing  else,  to  keep  it  in  proper  order.  Such  is  the 
extent  and  something  near  the  design  of  the  grounds  I 
use  for  such  purposes.  I  generally  have  selected  one  of 
my  most  active  men  to  take  charge  of  it,  and  find  he  has 
plenty  to  do  to  do  it  well.  A  second  design  (fig.  7) 
shows  a  lot  of  the  same  dimensions,  with  a  different 
arrangement.  There  being  a  stable,  s,  and  no  rear  en- 
trance, it  is  necessary  to  provide  one  from  the  front ; 


30 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


200  Fee'.  Front. 
Fig.  7.— DESIGN  FOB  GROUNDS   WITH  CARRIAGE -DRIVE, 


PLANTING   OF   LAWNS   AND   FLOWER    BEDS.  31 

and  iu  order  to  secure  a  greater  breadth  of  lawn,  the 
house  is  placed  at  one  side  of  the  centre  of  the  grounds. 
The  drive,  D,  in  the  design  is  made  to  turn  around  a 
group  of  flower  beds  of  fanciful  pattern;  but  this  may  be 
replaced  by  a  single  circle,  planted  as  suggested  in  the 
next  chapter,  or  by  a  group  of  ornamental  evergreen  or 
other  shrubs.  In  this  design  the  croquet  ground  is  at  c, 
and  the  grape  arbor,  G  A,  is  used  to  shut  out  the  view 
of  the  vegetable  grounds  from  the  street.  A  row  of 
closely  planted  evergreens  at  H  serves  to  break  the  force 
of  the  winds.  The  suggestions  as  to  the  other  details  in 
the  preceding  plan  (fig.  6)  apply  to  this  lilco. 


CHAPTER   IX. 
PLANTING    OF    LAWNS    AND    FLOWER    BEDS. 

THE  subject  of  lawn  planting,  including  the  proper 
setting  and  grouping  of  trees  and  shrubs,  and  their  most 
effective  disposal,  is  too  extended  for  the  scope  of  this 
book.  These  matters  belong  to  works  upon  landscape 
gardening,  and  are  ably  treated  in  those  by  Downing, 
Kemp,  Weidenmann,  Scott,  and  others.  But  the  plant- 
ing of  flower  beds  comes  properly  within  our  limits.  The 
old-fashioned  mixed  borders  four  or  six  feet  wide  along 
the  walks  of  the  fruit  or  vegetable  garden,  were  usually 
planted  with  hardy  herbaceous  plants,  the  tall  growing  at 
the  back,  with  the  lower  growing  sorts  in  front.  These, 
when  there  was  a  good  collection,  gave  a  bloom  of  varied 
color  throughout  the  entire  growing  season.  But  the 
more  modern  style  of  flower  borders  has  quite  displaced 
such  collections,  and  they  are  now  but  little  seen,  unless 
in  very  old  gardens,  or  in  botanical  collections.  Then, 


gg  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

again,  we  have  the  mixed  borders  of  bedding  plants,  a 
heterogeneous  grouping  of  all  kinds  of  tropical  plants, 
still  holding  to  the  plan  of  either  placing  the  highest  at 
the  back  of  the  border  if  it  has  only  one  walk,  or,  if  a  bed 
has  a  walk  on  each  side,  the  highest  in  the  middle,  and 
the  plants  sloping  down  to  the  walk  on  each  side.  The 
mixed  system  still  has  its  advocates,  who  deprecate  the 
modern  plan  of  massing  color  as  being  too  formal,  and 
too  unnatural  a  way  to  dispose  of  flowers.  But  be  that 
as  it  may,  we  will  not  stop  to  argue  the  matter  further 
than  to  state,  that  on  a  visit  to  England  in  1872,  and 
again  in  1885,  it  was  most  evident  that  the  "  Carpet 
Styles"  of  massing  plants,  as  done  at  Battersea  Park  and 
other  public  gardens  in 
London,  were  interesting 
to  the  people  in  a  way  that 
no  mixed  border  could 
ever  be.  Any  one  who 
has  not  yet  seen  the  won- 
derful effects  produced  by 
the  massing  of  plants  in 
this  way,  has  a  treat  before 
him.  Nearly  all  the  pub- 
lic parks  in  and  about 
London  are  so  planted, 

Fi<?.  8.— DIAGRAM  OF  FLOWER  BED.  ,      .  ,  , 

and  thousands  of  cottage 

gardens  vie  with  each  other  in  imitation  of  the  parks. 
But  to  plant  in  patterns  or  in  ribbon  lines  requires  for 
immediate  effect  a  large  number  of  plants,  for  the  reason 
that  they  must  be  so  set  out  that  they  will  meet  to  form 
continuous  masses  shortly  after  planting. 

An  illustration  in  circles  (for  convenience)  is  given  in 
figure  8,  to  show  what  plants  can  be  massed  together  to 
give  a  pleasing  effect.  Of  course,  it  will  be  understood 
that  a  bed  of  any  shape  can  be  planted  in  this  manner  as 
well  as  circular  beds,  only  keeping  in  view  the  width  of 


PLANTING   OF   LAWNS  AND   FLOWER   BEDS.  33 

the  bed.  For  example,  a  bed  having  a  diameter  of  ten 
feet  may  require  eight  or  ten  different  kinds  of  plants  to 
form  the  necessary  contrast,  while  that  of  five  feet  will 
not  require  more  than  half  that  number.  The  following 
named  plants  are  well  suited  for  planting  in  masses  or 
ribbon  lines.  They  are  named  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the 
order  of  their  hight,  number  one  in  each  case  being  the 
tallest.  Many  will  require  to  be  "  pinched  back  "  to  keep 
them  at  the  proper  hight,  so  that  the  outline  will  form 
a  regular  slope  from  the  center,  or  highest  point,  down 
to  the  front  or  lowest  point.  Thus,  in  list  No.  1,  Canna 


Indica  zebrina  will  grow  six  feet  high,  while  Lobelia 
Paxtoni,  the  lowest,  is  less  than  six  inches.  The  section 
given  in  figure  9  will  give  an  idea  of  the  arrangement  of 
a  bed  of  this  kind. 

LIST  No.  1.  Avel$£gM 

1 .  Canna  Indica  zebrina,  leaves  green  and  brown  striped 6 

2.  Salvia  splendens,  flowers  scarlet . .  .5 

3.  Golden  Coleus,  leaves  orange  and  brown ...  ...  4 

4.  Achyranthes  Lindeni,  leaves  rich  crimson 3 

5.  Phalaris  arundinacea  var. ,  leaves  white  and  green '2t 

6.  Achyranthes  Gilsoni,  leaves  carmine ...  2 

7.  Bronze  Geranium,  leaves  golden  bronze...  11 

8.  Centaurea  Candida,  leaves  white 1 

9.  Alternauthera  paronychioides  major,  leaves  Crimson  and  yellow  i 
10.  Lobelia  Paxtoni,  flowers  blue 4 


g4  GABDENING   FOR   PLEASUEE. 

LIST  No. '2. 

1.  Caladium  esculentum,  leaves  large  green. . . 

2.  Japanese  Maize,  leaves  striped  white  and  yellow - 5 

3.  Coleus  Verschaffeltii,  leaves  chocolate  crimson. -4 

4.  Delphinium  bicolor,  flowers  blue  and  white. .- 

5.  Cyperus  altemifolius  var.,  leaves  white  and  green... 

6.  Achyranthcs  Verschaffeltii,  leaves  crimson. .. 

7.  Mountain  of  Snow  Geranium,  leaves  white  and  green. .. 
S.  Tropseolum  Ball  of  Fire,  flowers  flame  color. .. 

Q!  Echeveria  metallica,  leaves  gray,  metallic  lustre... 
10.  Alternanthera  paronychioides  aurea,  carmine i 

It  will  be  understood  that  these  lists  of  plants  can  be 
transposed  in  any  way  necessary  to  suit  beds  of  all  widths, 
keeping  in  view,  that  where  small  beds  are  placed  near 
walks  the  lower  growing  kinds  are  most  suitable,  while 
for  beds  at  greater  distances  from  walks,  or  other  points 
of  view,  the  taller  growing  kinds  must  be  used.  Very 
fine  effects  are  produced  by  planting  on  a  lawn  a  single 
specimen  of  stately  habit,  such  as  some  varieties  of  the 
Kicinus,  or  Castor  Oil  Bean,  which  grow  ten  and  twelve 
feet  in  hight  in  one  season,  and  are  particularly  striking 
plants.  Or,  instead  of  this,  a  mass  of  six,  eight,  or  twelve 
plants  of  Scarlet  Sage  will  form  a  group  six  feet  high  by 
as  many  in  diameter,  and  its  dazzling  scarlet  color,  con- 
trasting against  the  green  of  the  lawn,  is  superb.  Many 
of  the  Amaranths  are  also  well  suited  for  planting  in  sin- 
gle groups.  Amarantus  tricolor  gigantea  (Joseph's  Coat) 
grows  to  the  hight  of  six  feet,  and  its  leaves,  in  the  late 
summer  and  fall  months,  exceed  in  brilliancy  of  color  any- 
thing we  know  of  in  foliage  ;  scarlet,  crimson,  and  golden 
yellow  predominating.  Another,  the  Amarantus  bipolar 
ruber,  grows  to  the  hight  of  five  feet,  and  is  plumed  with 
scarlet  crimson.  In  contrast  to  these,  plants  of  a  more 
somber  tint  may  be  used,  in  individual  specimens  or  in  a 
group  of  such  as  Pampas  Grass  (Gynerium  argent  eum), 
or  the  Ravenna  Grass  (Enanthus  Ravenna),  Each  of 
these  attain  a  hi£ht  from  six  to  ten  feet,  and  have  a 


PLANTING   OF  LAWNS   AND   FLOWER  BEDS.  3& 

graceful  appearance.  The  Japan  Eibbon  Grass  (Eulalia 
Japonica  variegata]  and  the  Zebra  Grass  (Eulalia  Japonica 
zebrina)  each  grows  to  a  hight  of  seven  to  nine  feet,  are 
perfectly  hardy,  and  are  grand  pjants  for  grouping  or 
planting  singly  on  the  lawn.  Besides  being  ornamental 
in  foliage,  their  flower  spikes,  which,  when  developed, 
somewhat  resemble  ostrich  plumes,  add  much  to  their 
beauty.  These  flower  spikes  are  easily  dried,  and  can  be 
kept  for  years,  making  unique  parlor  ornaments.  The 
Tanyah  (Galadium  esculentum)  is  a  tropical  looking  plant 
growing  three  or  four  feet  in  hight,  and  producing  leaves 
sometimes  eighteen  inches 


THE   CARPET   STYLE   OF    FLOWER-BED    PLANTING 

is  now  done  largely  in  nearly  all  the  public  parks  of 
the  large  cities  in  Europe,  also  with  us,  particularly  in 
Chicago,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and  Alleghany  City.  But 
in  the  great  Central  Park  of  New  York  and  the  Prospect 
Park  of  Brooklyn,  all  such  ornamentation  is  mostly  con- 
spicuous by  its  absence,  or  is  in  quantity  so  meagre  and 
in  style  so  wretched  as  would  disgrace  a  village  of  5,000 
inhabitants.  But  if  we  of  New  York  suffer  by  the  incom- 
petency  or  want  of  taste  in  the  management  of  our  public 
parks,  we  have  certainly  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  efforts 
of  some  private  gentlemen  here.  The  private  grounds 
of  William  B.  Dinsmore  of  Staatsburg,  N.  Y.  ,  and  John 
Hoey  of  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  have  been  noted  for  years 
for  their  grand  display  of  carpet  bedding  —  uneqnaled, 
perhaps,  by  anything  else  in  the  world.  Mr.  Hoey's, 
from  its  proximity  to  the  famous  summer  resort  of  Long 
Branch,  is  visited  daily  by  thousands,  the  private  grounds 
of  the  munificent  owner  being  thrown  open  as  a  public 
park.  In  the  season  of  1886,  four  beds  in  the  grounds 
of  Mr.  Hoey  were  said  to  contain  a  million  and  a  half  of 
plants,  arranged  so  artistically  that  at  a  distance  they 


3({  GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

might  easily  be  mistaken  for  carpets  laid  out  to  air  on 
the  green  lawn.  In  fact,  a  story  is  told  of  a  thrifty 
old  Jersey  farmer  and  his  wife,  who  had  never  seen 
these  living  carpets  before,  and  who,  happening  to  be 
driving  in  the  grounds  one  day  when  a  shower  came 
up,  drove  up  to  Mr.  Hoey's  residence  and  told  the  ser- 
vants to  get  in  the  carpets,  as  they  were  getting  ruined 
by  the  rain  !  The  example  set  by  Mr.  Hoey  in  clothing 
his  grounds  in  this  gorgeous  coloring,  where  it  is  seen  by 
tens  of  thousands  annually,  has  had  more  to  do  with  ex- 
tending the  taste  for  the,  lawn  decoration  of  flower  beds 
than  perhaps  all  othe^sources  combined.  The  car- 
pet style,  so  called,  consists  in  using  plants  that  can  be 
kept  down  to  a  few  inches  above  the  level  of  the  lawn. 
A  great  variety  of  succulent  plants  are  used,  such  as 
Echeverias,  Sedums,  Mesembryanthemums,  etc. ,  together 
with  numerous  low-growing  Alpine  plants,  such  as 
Ajugas,  Cerastiums,  Lysimachias,  Lobelias,  Ivies,  Alter- 
nantheras,  etc.,  etc.  This  style  of  bedding  requires  an  im- 
mense number  of  plants.  One  bed  in  the  carpet  style  at 
Battersea  Park,  London,  containing  less  than  1,000  square 
feet,  required  4,000  plants  to  produce  the  desired  effect 
in  the  design,  and  not  a  leaf  of  these  was  more  than  six 
inches  above  the  lawn.  Planting  in  this  style  admits  of 
unlimited  variety  in  the  form  of  the  beds  and  contrasts 
of  colors.  So  great  is  the  care  exercised  abroad  in  arrang- 
ing the  designs  that  colored  papers,  giving  the  exact  tints 
of  the  leading  flowers  and  colored  foliage,  are  supplied 
by  the  dealers,  in  order  that  colored  designs  may  be  made 
and  studied  before  putting  them  into  execution  ;  for  a 
single  misplaced  color  may  spoil  the  effect  of  the  whole. 
In  works  of  this  kind  the  parts  of  the  design  should  be 
separated  by  well-defined  portions  of  turf,  as  the  color  of 
each  member  of  it  is  brought  out  more  clearly  and  dis- 
tinctly, and  the  whole  has  a  much  better  effect  if  a  liberal 
amount  of  green  is  introduced.  Figure  10  is  introduced 


PLANTING    OF    LAWNS    AND    FLOWER    BEDS. 


Fig.    10.— CARPET  BED  AS  PLANTED. 


1.  Alteraanthera  paronychioides  ma- 

jor or  Rainbow  Plant,  Crimson 
shaded. 

2.  Alteraanthera  aureana^a,  Golden 

Yellow. 


3.  Echeveria    Californica,     Deep 

Sea  Green 

4.  Alteraanthera  versicolor,  Car- 

mine and  Rose 

5.  Echeveria  secunda,  Pale  Bluish 

Green. 


: 


U! 


/    j 
j  / 


FiSf.  11.— DESIGN  FOB  FLOWER  BED. 

1.  Crimson  Coleus.  2.  Golden  Coleub. 


38  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

to  give  an  idea  of  some  of  the  simpler  designs,  as  they 
appear  when  planted  to  produce  the  best  effect.  The 
planting  of  "  Carpet  Beds,"  when  succulent  plants  are 
used,  is  costly  from  the  necessity  of  setting  them  so 


( 


X 


\ 
\ 


Pig.  12.— DESIGN  FOR  FLOWER  BED. 

1.  Coleus  Verschaffeltii,  Crimson.         2.  Geranium  General  Grunt,  or 
other  Scarlet.         3.  Geranium  Queen  Olga,  Pink. 

close  that  the  whole  ground  has  to  be  covered,  as  the 
growth  of  these  is  comparatively  slow. 

PLANTING  IN  RIBBON  LINES,  AND  MASSING  IN  COLORS, 

% 

are  in  more  general  use  than  Carpet  Bedding,  not  only 
for  being  much  cheaper — the  plants  used  being  less 
costly — but,  as  they  are  of  more  vigorous  growth,  they  can 


FLATTING   OF   LAWXS   AND   FLOWER    BEDS. 


•'    V"...l     3     )    OfJ 


H-     --< 

-••;     , 

s  3  /• 

' 


V 

Fig.  13.—  DESIGN  FOR  FLOWER  BED. 

I   Alternanthera  paronychioides  major  (Rainbow  Plant).       2.  Alter- 
(santhera  aurea  nana.     3.  Dwarf  Scarlet  Tropaeolum.     4.  Blue  Lobelia. 


4U 


GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 


---^.-... 

'  " 


2  V 


Fig.  14. — DESIGN  FOB  FLOWEB  BED. 


1.  Coleus  Golden  Bedder. 

2.  Geranium  General  Grant,  or 

other  Scarlet. 


3.  Coleus  Verschaffeltii,  Crimson. 

4.  Dracaena  indivisa. 


PLANTING    OF   LAAVNS   AND   FLOWER   BEDS. 


41 


be  set  much  farther  apart,  usually  from  nine  to  twelve 
inches  each  way.  All  such  planting  must  necessarily  be 
largely  a  matter  of  taste,  although,  of  course,  sharply  con- 
trasting colors  make  the  most  striking  effects.  As  a  rule, 
it  is  best  to  have  comparatively  few  colors,  and  this  will 


z          //'^ 

_  ....... 

/'  / 

x>  ,.,-..-7  J 

3 

2 

1               J 

,'j 

\                          '         ' 

i/, 

,/, 

X 

*    X 

'X  J< 

&'•' 

' 

\ 

\\ 

r\ 

*i 

X 

v     >' 

\.  f  f//" 

/-'•'"     ^. 

A  *""-^X                «' 

i 

v- 

rf                             1  * 

3 

>                      *3        J 

^ 

\    vv 

/Xv         "V; 

4     \'>-: 

Fig.  15. — DESIGN   FOB  FLOWEE  BED. 


1.  Grass. 

2.  Blue  Lobelia. 

3.  Dwarf  Scarlet  Tropaeolum. 


4.  Grass. 

5.  Alternrnthera  paronychioides 

(Rainbow  Plant),  Crimson. 


6.  Alternanthera  aurea  nana,  Yellow. 

account  for  our  recommending  comparatively  few  varie- 
ties of  plants  for  the  designs  here  given  as  examples. 
One  important  point  in  all  planting  of  this  kind  is  to 
trim  the  plants  so  that  they  shall  form  clear  defined 
lines ;  that  is,  if  they,  in  growing,  overlap  one  another, 
they  must  be  pinched  back  so  that  each  color  shows 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


16. — DESIGN   FOB  FLO  WEB  BED 


1.  Blue  Lobelia. 

2.  Alternanthera  aurea  nana,  Yel- 

low. 

3.  Achyranthes     Lindenii,    Deep 

Crimson. 

4.  Geranium  Mountain  of  Snow, 

White. 


5.  Anthemis    coronaria,    Double 

Yellow  Marguerite. 

6.  Pink  Geranium. 

7.  Dracaena  indi visa,  or  Fountain 

Plant. 

8.  Geranium  General  Grant,  Scar- 


PLANTING    OF    LAWNS    AND    FLOWER    BEDS. 


clearly  and  distinctly  where  they  meet,  also  that  the  top 
growth  be  so  pinched  back  that  the  bed  presents  a  smooth 
and  even  surface. 

"Kibbon  lines, "so  called,  are  where  two  or  more  lines 


Fig.  17. — FANCY  BEDDING  AT  LINCOLN  PABK,   CHICAGO. 


1.  Vase. 

2.  Coleus  Bacon. 

3.  Coleus  South  Park  Gem. 

4.  Achyranthes  metallica. 

5.  Coleus  Mary  Stewart. 


6.  Geranium  Wonderful. 

7.  Geranium  Madame  Thebaud. 

8.  Geranium  Mountain  of  Snow. 

9.  Gnaphalium  lanatum. 
10.  Coleus  Verschafleltii. 


of  color  are  planted  along  margins  of  drives  or  walks. 
"Massing  in  colors"  is  shown  in  the  designs  here 
given,  figures  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  and  17.  These 
illustrations  were  designed  by  George  A.  Solly  &  Son, 
Springfield,  Mass. 


44  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

CHAPTER   X. 
FALL   OR   HOLLAND    BULBS,    ETC. 

THESE  bulbs  are  mainly  such  as  are  imported  from 
Holland  in  the  fall,  and  consist  of  Hyacinths,  Tulips, 
Crocuses,  Jonquils,  Narcissuses,  Snow-drops,  Lilies,  and 
various  other  less  known  kinds.  With  few  exceptions, 
all  these  bulbs  are  hardy  in  our  most  northern  states, 
though  all  are  benefited  by  a  covering  of  two  or  three 
inches  of  rough  litter  or  leaves  spread  over  the  beds  be- 
fore freezing  weather.  The  soil  best  suited  for  all  bulbs 
is  a  rich,  but  rather  sandy  loam.  All  these  bulbs  may  be 
planted  at  any  time  from  the  middle  of  September  until 
the  ground  is  closed  by  frost  in  December.  Hyacinths 
should  be  planted  at  distances  of  six  or  eight  inches  apart 
each  way,  and  from  three  to  four  inches  deep.  Tulips, 
the  same  distance  apart,  but  a  little  less  deep.  Crocuses 
three  inches  apart  and  two  inches  deep.  Jonquils  and 
Narcissuses  may  be  planted  four  inches  apart  and  four 
inches  deep.  Snow-drops  the  same  as  Crocuses. 

Very  fine  effects  are  produced  by  planting  Hyacinths  in 
lines  each  of  one  color,  but  when  mixed  colors  are  placed 
in  the  lines,  care  must  he  taken  to  have  them  arranged 
so  that  the  bed  will  give  a  harmonious  blending  of  color. 
Crocuses  have  nearly  the  same  range  of  color  as  the 
Hyacinth,  and  may  be  planted  either  way. 

All  these  bulbs  are  easily  grown  in  pots.  The  Hya- 
cinth requires  a  pot  six  inches  in  depth  and  diameter.  In 
potting  it  is  only  necessary  to  fill  the  pot  rather  loosely 
to  the  brim,  and  press  the  bulb  down,  so  that  only  about 
one-fourth  of  it  appears  above  the  soil.  The  pot  should 
then  be  struck  smartly  on  the  bench  to  give  the  soil  the 
proper  degree  of  firmness,  leaving  it,  when  finished, 
about  an  inch  or  so  below  the  rim  of  the  pot.  Then 


FALL   OR   HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC.  45 

water  freely  to  still  further  settle  the  soil.  When  pots 
are  not  convenient,  boxes  four  inches  deep,  setting  the 
bulbs  six  inches  apart,  will  do  quite  as  well.  The  pots 
or  boxes  should  then  be  placed  where  it  is  cool  and  dark, 
which  will  encourage  a  strong  development  of  roots 
before  the  bulb  starts  to  grow  at  the  top.  Such  a  situation 
can  be  made  by  covering  up  the  pots  or  boxes  with  four 
or  five  inches  of  sand  or  leaves  in  a  cool  cellar,  under  the 
stage  of  a  cool  greenhouse,  or  in  a  sunken  pit,  or  in  some 
sheltered  spot  in  the  open  air,  in  each  case  covering  with 
sand  or  leaves,  so  as  to  exclude  heat  and  frost ;  for  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  a  strong  development  of  root 
can  only  be  had  at  a  low  temperature,  say  from  forty  to 
fifty  degrees,  and  any  attempt  to  force  bulbs  to  make 
roots  quicker  by  placing  them  in  a  high  temperature, 
will  most  certainly  enfeeble  the  flower.  If  we  only 
observe  how  nature  points  out  to  us  this  necessity,  we 
will  see  how  safe  it  will  be  to  follow  her.  In  all  hardy 
plants,  the  roots  in  spring  (when  the  temperature  is 
low)  begin  to  form  the  rootlets  before  a  leaf  or  flower  is 
developed.  To  show  the  bad  effects  when  this  is  not  the 
case,  take  a  root  of  any  of  our  hardy  Lilies  and  plant  it  in 
March,  and  take  a  similar  bulb  and  plant  it  in  May;  it 
will  be  found  that  the  early  planted  bulb,  that  had  an 
opportunity  to  slowly  develop  its  roots  before  there  was 
heat  enough  to  start  the  top,  will  give  a  finer  growth  and 
finer  flower  than  the  bulb  that  was  planted  in  May,  and 
ran  up  into  growth  before  it  had  an  opportunity  to  suf- 
ficiently push  its  roots  into  the  soil.  The  culture  of  all 
the  bulbs  before  named,  in  pots,  is  the  same  as  that  of 
the  Hyacinth,  only  the  Narcissuses  and  Tulips  should  b« 
planted  three  or  four  in  a  six  or  seven-inch  pot,  and  Cro- 
cuses ten  or  twelve  in  a  pot.  All  these  bulbs  may  like- 
wise be  grown  in  moss,  or  even  pure  sand,  provided  that 
it  is  kept  damp  ;  the  necessity  being  a  medium  wherein 
the  roots  can  revel  in  moisture.  But  whether  potted  in 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


FALL  OR   HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC.  47 

soil,  sand,  or  moss,  there  will  be  no  need  to  further  water 
in  this  semi-dormant  state  (if  they  have  been  well  watered 
at  the  time  of  potting),  provided  the  pots  have  been  cov- 
ered up  as  directed,  and  kept  cool  and  dark.  If  potted 
say  the  first  week  in  October,  they  may  be  removed  from 
their  dark  quarters  in  seven  or  eight  weeks,  only,  before 
doing  so,  turn  a  few  of  them  out  of  the  pots  to  see 
whether  they  have  rooted  around  the  ball  of  earth.  They 
may  then  be  placed  in  full  light  and  watered  freely. 

Holland  Bulbs  are  also  very  effective  in  groups  planted 
in  the  open  border.  The  accompanying  illustration,  fig.  18, 
shows  a  group  of  about  thirty  bulbs,  consisting  of  Hy- 
acinths, Tulips,  Narcissuses,  and  Crocuses,  arranged  so 
as  to  give  the  greatest  contrast  in  colors. 

HYACINTHS   IN   GLASSES. 

Although  Jonquils  and  Narcissuses  can  be  grown  in 
water  in  glasses  as  well  as  the  Hyacinth,  they  are  not 
often  so  treated,  Hyacinths  being  the  only  bulbs  largely 
flowered  in  that  way.  The  glasses  for  growing  the  lat- 
ter bulbs  in  water,  are  made  in  various  styles,  from  the 
plain  old-fashioned  Belgian  to  the  ornamental  Bohemian, 
and  are  either  plain  glass  or  colored  green,  amber,  claret, 
and  other  shades.  The  glasses,  which  are  best  of  a  dark 
color,  are  filled  with  water  just  high  enough  for  the  base 
of  the  bulb  to  touch  it.  The  glasses  must  be  placed  in  a 
cool  and  dark  place.  Care  must  be  taken  that  the  water 
does  not  freeze,  else  the  glasses  will  be  broken,  and  the 
Hyacinths  more  or  less  injured.  Single  Hyacinths  are 
better  than  double  ones  for  glasses.  The  water  should 
be  changed  every  six  or  eight  days. 

THE  BERMUDA  EASTER  LILY  (Lilium  Harrisi}. 

This  is  a  grand  variety  of  the  well-known  Lilium 
longiflorum,  or  Trumpet  Lily.  It  was  introduced  seven 


48  GARDENING   FOE   PLEASURE. 

years  ago  from  Bermuda,  where  it  was  found  under  culti- 
vation. It  differs  from  the  old  variety  in  being  much 
larger  in  size  ;  but  its  most  valuable  quality  is,  that  it 
can  be  grown  to  flower  in  the  greatest  profusion  from  the 
Christmas  Holidays  throughout  all  the  winter  months 
until  spring,  according  to  the  time  it  is  planted  and  the 
temperature  at  which  it  is  kept.  Tens  of  thousands  of 
it  are  now  grown  for  church  decoration  at  Easter  ;  hence 
the  name.  The  manner  of  cultivation  is  very  simple,  and 
need  never  fail  in  the  hands  of  even  the  most  inexperi- 
enced amateurs.  The  bulbs  should  be  planted  in  what 
are  called  five-inch  pots,  that  is,  five  inches  deep  and  five 
inches  wide  at  rim.  The  soil  should  be  rich,  at  least 
one-third  old,  well-rotted  manure.  The  pot  should  be 
rather  loosely  filled  with  this  soil,  and  the  bulb  pressed 
down  deep  enough  to  cover  the  bulb  merely.  This  may 
be  done  any  time  from  the  middle  of  August  until  De- 
cember. Those  potted  in  August  will  be  in  flower  by  the 
Christmas  Holidays ;  those  in  October,  November,  and 
December  correspondingly  later. 

After  potting,  one  of  the  most  important  things  to 
observe  is  the  proper  placing  of  the  pots  containing  the 
bulbs.  Like  all  other  bulbs,  to  get  the  best  results  in 
flowering,  the  pots  must  be  filled  with  roots  before  the 
tops  start  to  grow  ;  and,  to  do  this,  they  must  be  placed 
in  some  cool  place  and  excluded  from  the  light.  Those 
potted  in  August,  September,  or  October  can  be  placed 
outside,  in  the  open  air,  and  covered  completely  up  with 
leaves  or  litter  to  the  depth  of  four  or  five  inches,  until, 
on  examination,  the  roots  are  found  to  be  formed  around 
the  ball  of  earth.  They  should  then  he  placed  in  the 
greenhouse  or  sitting-room,  and  if  kept  in  a  temperature 
of  from  sixty  to  seventy  degrees,  will  come  into  bloom 
throughout  January  and  February.  Those  potted  later 
—say  in  November  or  December— should  be  placed  in  a 
cool  cellar  or  cold  frame,  and  covered  up  in  the  same 


PALL   OE   HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC. 


49 


Fig.  iy.— POT   CULTURE   OF   T11E   BERMUDA   EASTER   LILY. 


50  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

way  as  recommended  for  those  placed,  out  of  doors,  until 
they  also  form  roots,  when,  if  placed  in  the  light,  in  green- 
house or  sitting-room,  they  will  flower  fr om  February  to 
April,  if  kept  in  a  temperature  of  sixty  or  seventy  degrees. 
Each  bulb  will  give  from  three  to  twenty  flowers,  accord- 
ing to  size,  and  not  one  in  a  hundred  will  fail  if  these 
simple  directions  are  followed.  The  flowers  are  four  or 
five  inches  in  length,  and  frequently  much  longer,  of  the 
purest  white,  and  of  the  most  delicious  fragrance. 

The  Bermuda  Lily  is  entirely  hardy,  when  planted  in 
the  open  ground,  south  of  Washington,  and  will  stand 
our  winters  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  Northern  and  West- 
ern States,  if  covered  up  with  four  or  five  inches  of 
dry  leaves  or  litter,  on  the  approach  of  cold  weather  in 
December. 

Lilium  candidum  was  formerly  known  also  as  the 
Easter  Lily,  but  the  Bermuda  Lily  (L.  Harrisi)  has  so 
superseded  its  use  for  Easter  decoration,  that  it  is  hardly 
now  known  as  such.  It  is  entirely  distinct  from  the 
other,  and  grows  from  two  to  three  feet  in  hight,  pro- 
ducing from  six  to  ten  flowers  in  a  whorl  at  the  top.  Its 
culture,  both  for  forcing  and  growing  in  the  open  ground, 
is  almost  identical  with  the  Bermuda  Lily,  and  it  is  well 
worthy  of  cultivation. 

LILT  OF  THE  VALLEY  (Convallario,  majalis) 

is  one  of  the  most  chaste  and  beautiful  of  all  flowers. 
When  planted  in  the  open  ground,  where  it  is  entirely 
hardy,  its  flowers  are  one  of  the  first  harbingers  of  spring. 
It  is  forced  in  immense  quantities  for  winter  flowers. 
The  treatment  is  almost  identical  with  that  for  Hyacinths 
and  Lilies,  only,  whether  the  "  pips"— the  single  "  eyes"— 
or  clumps  containing  a  dozen  or  more  "eyes"  are  used, 
they  should  be  packed  closely  together  in  shallow  boxes, 
and  placed  out  of  doors  or  other  cool  place  for  eight  to 
nine  weeks  before  being  brought  in  to  force  for  flowers 


FALL   OE   HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC. 


51 


in  winter;  but,  unlike  bnlbs,  the  Lily  of  the  Valley 
does  not  make  any  root  growth  while  outside.  The 
object  of  placing  it  outside  at  all  is  to  give  it  a  period 
of  "rest,"  which  is  absolutely  necessary  before  it  can  be 
forced  into  flower.  Lily  of  the  Valley  roots  are  not  usually 


.  20. — LILY   OF  THE  VALLEY. 


to  be  had  before  the  first  of  November  ;  and  if  placed  in 
boxes  then  and  set  outside,  they  should  not  be  brought 
in  to  force  until  the  end  of  December.  If  then  put  in  a 
temperature  of  from  seventy  to  eighty  degrees,  they  will 
come  into  bloom  in  from  ten  to  fifteen  days.  It  is  best 
to  bring  in  a  few  at  a  time,  «o  that  they  can  be  had  in 
bloom  throughout  the  winter ;  (&,  if  wanted  at  any  partic- 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


ular  time  after  New  Year,  they  can  safely  be  relied  on  to 
flower  in  ten  or  fifteen  days  after  being  placed  m  a  heat 
averaging  eighty  degrees.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  cover  the 
boxes  slightly  over  with  moss,  so  as  to  keep  as  moist  an 
atmosphere  as  possible  around  the  crowns  while  forcing 
them  into  flower. 
There  is  one  rather  discouraging  feature  to  amateurs 


Fig.  21. — LILT  OF  THE  VALLEY  "  PIP  " — GOOD. 

in  forcing  Lily  of  the  Valley,  and  also  with  most  bulbs, 
in  the  fact  that,  after  being  thus  artificially  treated,  the 
crowns  are  of  no  further  use,  to  force  at  least.  They  may 
be  planted  out  in  the  open  ground  in  spring  after  forcing, 
and  will  recuperate  to  some  extent  in  a  year  or  two,  but 
the  same  crowns  once  forced  will  hardly  ever  do  again  for 
that  purpose.  An  exception  among  bulbs  is  the  Bermuda 
Lily,  which  seems  to  be  in  no  way  injured  by  being  forced. 
The  crown,  or  '«  pip,"  ^florists  sometimes  call  it,  of  the 


FALL   OR   HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC.  53 

Lily  of  the  Valley,  when  sufficiently  developed  to  flower, 
should  be  of  the  size  and  shape  shown  iu  figure  21. 

THE  TUBEROSE  (PoHanthes  tulerosd), 

when  grown  outdoors,  should  never  be  planted  until  the 
ground  is  warm.  A  good  test  (which  our  country  readers 
can  usually  always  avail  themselves  of)  is  never  to  plant 
the  Tuberose  until  the  corn  crop  is  up  two  or  three 
inches  high,  which,  in  the  latitude  of  New  York,  is 
always  about  the  first  week  in  June.  Dry  bulbs  or  tubers 
then  planted  will  usually  flower  in  October.  If  wanted 
earlier,  the  dry  bulbs  should  be  started  in  moss  or  soil, 
in  small  pots  or  boxes,  in  a  greenhouse  or  warm  room, 
where  there  is  plenty  of  light,  about  the  first  of  May. 
Thus  forwarded,  if  planted  out  by  the  first  week  in  June, 
they  will  come  into  flower  two  or  three  weeks  earlier. 

Forcing  the  Tuberose — so  as  to  have  flowers  during 
the  winter  months  from  January  to  April — cannot  be  done 
unless  there  are  appliances  of  heat  in  the  greenhouse 
that  will  keep  up  an  average  of  eighty  degrees,  and  that, 
too,  with  a  moist  atmosphere,  as  this  bulb  is  of  a  nature 
that  requires  at  all  times  a  high  temperature  for  its 
growth.  It  is,  however,  comparatively  easy  to  have  it 
produce  flowers  during  November  and  December  in  the 
greenhouse  by  retarding  the  bulbs  in  some  cool  place  until 
August.  Planted  then  they  make  growth  enough  in  the 
warm  months  of  the  fall  to  give  them  sufficient  start  to 
throw  up  the  flower  stems  by  the  end  of  October.  The 
greenhouse  then,  however,  must  be  kept  warm  (say  sixty- 
five  at  night  with  fifteen  degrees  higher  in  the  daytime)  for 
the  proper  development  of  the  flowers  during  November 
and  December.  They  should  be  set  six  or  eight  inches 
apart.  The  Pearl  is  the  best  for  forcing,  while  the  tall 
double  is  best  for  outdoor  blooming.  A  new  single  variety 
of  Tuberose,  "The  Albino,"  originated  in  St.  Louis,  Mo., 


54  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASURE. 

in  1887  It  has  the  peculiarity  of  throwing  up  from  two 
to  four  shoots  from  each  bulb,  and  occasionally  two  to 
three  branches  on  each  stalk.  The  flowers  are  of  the 
purest  white,  star  shaped,  being  more  reflexcd  than  the 
old  sort.  It  is  altogether  a  valuable  variety,  and  is  cer- 
tain to  be  largely  used  for  cut  dowers.  It  is  not  yet 
offered  for  sale. 

THE  LILT  (Lilium). 

I  have  already  alluded  to  varieties  of  the  Lily  that  are 
used  for  forcing  in  winter,  which  at  present  is  confined 
to  the  white  varieties,  L.  candidum,  L.  longiflorum,  and 
L.  Harrisi.     The  hardy  garden  Lilies,  which  embrace  a 
great  range  of  color,  are  of  the  easiest  cultivation,  and, 
from  the  regal  beauty  of  most  of  the  species,  are  perhaps 
the  most  desirable 'of  all  our  hardy  perennial   plants. 
They  will  nourish  in  almost  any  soil,  though,  like  all 
other  plants,  a  deep,  rich,  sandy  loam  is  the  best.     Lily 
bulbs  can  be  set  out  either  in  fall  or  spring.    When  planted 
in  fall  they  should  be  covered  with  three  or  four  inches 
of  leaves  or  other  litter ;  for,  although  perfectly  hardy, 
withstanding  the  severest  winter,   all  new  plantations 
of  any  kind  of  plant  are  helped  by  a  protection  the  first 
winter  after  planting.     In  spring  planting  they  should 
be  set  out  just  as  early  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to 
work.     The  bulbs  may  be  set,  according  to  size,  from 
three  to  four  inches  deep,  and,  if  beds  are  to  be  formed  of 
them,  from  nine  t.o  twelve  inches  apart.     Although  they 
will  not  bloom  in  complete  shade,  yet  a  position  of  partial 
shade  is  congenial  to  them  ;  and  they  will  do  equally 
well  in  open   sunshine.     The   finest  species  are  from 
Japan,  though  we  have  some  very  beautiful  native  kinds. 
The  following  list  comprises  the  best  known  kinds  :  L. 
auratum,  or  Golden   Banded ;  L.  speciosum  and  its  va- 
rieties ;   L.  Kramer  i,  L.  Leichtlinii,  L.  tigrinum  flora 
plena,  L.   Thunbergianum  in  variety,  L.   longiflorum. 


FALL   OR   HOLLAND    BULJS,    ETC.  55 

L.  candidum,  the  oldest  known  species,  comes  from  the 
Levant.  Asia  furnishes  L.  Chalcedonicum ;  Siberia  the 
beautiful  little  L.  tenuifolium,  which  is  there  grown  as 
an  article  of  food.  The  United  States  contributes  L. 
superbum,  L.  Canadense,  L.  Philadelphicum,  L.  Cates- 
bcei,  L.  Carolinianum,  and  L.  Columbianum,  together 
with  L.  WasMngtonianum,  L.  Humboldtii,  L.  parvum, 
L.  Californicum,  L.  pardalinum,  L.  Roezlii,  L.  Parryi, 
and  L.  Walkeri,  from  California.  It  may  be  added  here 
that  the  California  Lilies  often  remain  in  the  ground  a 
whole  year  before  starting  to  grow. 

THE  CALLA, 

or  Lily  of  the  Nile,  is  now  known  to  botanists  as  Richardia 
^thiopica.  It  is  largely  grown  for  winter  flowers,  and  is 
of  the  easiest  culture,  the  only  attention  being  an  abund- 
ance of  moisture,  and  an  average  temperature  of  seventy 
degrees,  whether  grown  in  the  greenhouse  or  sitting- 
room.  Although  it  will  grow  and  flower  during  the 
entire  season  without  resting  if  sufficiently  fed  by  being 
re-potted,  yet  it  is  more  profitable  to  dry  it  partly  off, 
say  from  June  1st  to  September  1st.  This  is  best  done 
by  placing  the  pots  on  their  sides  outdoors,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent the  rains  from  wetting  the  soil,  and  covering  them 
slightly  with  hay  or  moss,  so  as  to  keep  the  sun  from 
drying  the  roots  too  much  ;  or,  if  a  position  of  partial 
shade  can  be  had,  there  will  be  no  need  of  covering  the 
pots.  The  roots  thus  rested  will  flower  more  abundantly 
and  produce  fewer  leaves,  and  thus  twice  the  number  of 
flowers  may  be  obtained  from  the  same  space.  The  bulbs 
are  now  being  grown  largely  in  California,  where  they  are 
dried  like  Tuberoses  and  purchased  by  florists  in  the  East- 
ern States.  Thus  dried,  far  more  flowers  are  produced 
than  when  the  bulb  is  kept  growing. 
It  is  not  well  to  give  the  Calla  too  much  pot  room,  else 


56  GARDENING   FOK   PLEASURE. 

too  much  foliage  is  produced.  We  have  found  the  best 
method  to  be  not  to  use  too  large  pots,  and  to  use  liquid 
manure  freely,  made  from  one  bushel  of  cow  dung  to 
twenty-five  or  thirty  gallons  of  water,  or  one  pound  of 
guano  to  ten  gallons  of  water.  When  an  excess  of  leaves 
occurs,  cut  them  off  freely,  withholding  water  somewhat 
for  a  week  or  so  after  cutting  the  leaves  off.  By  this 
method  the  plants  can  be  grown  closely  together,  and  a 
larger  crop  of  flowers  obtained  from  the  same  space. 

The  Calla  is  one  of  the  best  of  winter-flowering  plants 
for  room  culture,  needing  little  care  beyond  abundant 
water,  and  an  occasional  syringing  or  washing  of  the 
leaves  to  keep  them  free  from  dust  and  red  spider.  It 
is  also  a  good  plant  for  a  large  aquarium.  The  Dwarf 
Calla,  a  sport  from  the  original  species,  is  identical  in 
all  respects  except  that  its  flowers  and  leaves  are  about 
half  the  size  of  the  original.  R.  alba-maculata,  a  species 
with  beautifully  variegated  or  spotted  foliage,  makes  a 
showy  plant.  The  flowers  are  smaller  than  the  Calla,  and 
white,  with  purple  throat.  It  comes  into  flower  in  May 
and  June,  making  it  valuable  for  a  succession.  It  is  also 
desirable  in  a  collection  of  plants  with  variegated  foliage. 
Another  species,  R.  hastata,  is  somewhat  similar  to  R. 
alba-maculata,  except  that  the  flowers  are  a  deep  yellow 
with  a  purple  throat.  There  is  still  another  kind  of 
"Calla,"  sometimes  called  the  "Black  Calla,"  from  the 
very  dark  crimson  of  its  velvet-like  flowers.  It  is  really, 
however,  a  plant  of  another  genus,  known  as  Arum 
Palestinum.  It  is  quite  a  scarce  plant  as  yet,  but  will 
be  a  great  acquisition  from  its  unique  and  novel  color. 
Unlike  most  species  of  the  genus  Arum,  the  flowers  of 
this  are  of  a  pleasing  fragrance.  The  species  are  all 
propagated  by  offsets,  which  should  be  taken  off  when 
the  plant  is  at  rest,  and  grown  on  in  small  pots  for  one 
season. 


FALL   OR    HOLLAND   BULBS,    ETC.  57 

GLADIOLUS. 

i 

There  is  perhaps  no  bulb  that  is  so  satisfactory  or  so 
easily  cultivated  as  the  Gladiolus;  no  other  bulb  embraces 
such  a  variation  of  color,  comprising  nearly  every  shade 
except  blue.  With  the  simplest  culture  there  is  an  abso- 
lute certainty  that  they  will  flower,  provided  they  are 
planted  in  fairly  good  soil  and  where  they  will  not  be 
shaded. 

Time  to  Plant. — During  the  winter,  Gladiolus  bulbs, 
whether  large  or  small,  should  be  kept  in  a  dry,  cool 
cellar.  As  the  bulb  is  nearly  hardy,  plantings  may  be 
made  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  fit  to  work  in  spring ; 
and  even  should  the  ground  be  slightly  frozen  after, 
they  will  sustain  no  injury. 

Bulbs  set  out  during  April  will  be  usually  at  their  best 
flowering  in  August,  but  "succession  plantings"  may  be 
made  every  ten  days  until  the  middle  of  July,  which  will 
give  a  succession  of  bloom  the  entire  season.  It  is  a 
common  practice,  with  the  New  York  florists,  to  reserve 
Gladiolus  bulbs  until  August,  which  are  then  planted  in 
boxes  four  or  five  inches  deep,  in  rich  soil.  The  boxes 
are  kept  out-doors  until  frost,  when  they  are  placed  in  a 
cool  greenhouse,  where  they  flower  in  November,  at  a 
time  when  everything  is  done  outside. 

Whether  planted  in  the  open  ground  or  in  boxes  for 
forcing,  they  should  be  set  at  from  six  to  seven  inches 
apart,  and  about  two  to  three  inches  deep,  that  is,  so  that 
the  top  of  the  bulb  will  be  covered  an  inch  or  an  inch 
and  a  half. 

Gladiolus  are  admirably  suited  for  cnt-flower  work,  as 
they  will  keep  for  eight  or  ten  days,  and  the  unexpanded 
buds,  if  showing  color,  will  develop  fully  when  the  stem 
is  cut  and  placed  in  water.  In  addition  to  the  fine  hy- 
brid varieties  long  in  cultivation,  M.  Lemoine,  of  France, 
in  1884  succeeded  in  producing  a  new  class,  entirely 


58  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

novel  and  of  wonderful  beauty.  Each  petal  is  spotted  with 
crimson,  carmine,  scarlet,  or  rose,  somewhat  resembling 
the  finest  kinds  of  the  Fancy  Pelargoniums  or  Orchids. 

THE  AMARYLLIS  (Amaryllis). 

All  the  kinds  are  eminently  ornamental  and  easy  of 
culture,  the  great  secret  being  to  give  them  alternately 


Fig.  22.— AMARYLLIS.    (Vittata  Type.) 

a  season  of  excitement  and  a  season  of  repose.  To  do 
this  effectually,  the  plants  should  be  abundantly  sup- 
plied with  water  and  heat,  and  placed  near  the  glass 
when  they  are  coming  into  flower,  and  water  should  be 
withheld  from  them  by  degrees  when  they  are  done  flow- 
ering, till  they  have  entirely  ceased  growing,  when  they 
should  be  kept  quite  dry  and  in  a  state  of  rest.  When 
in  this  state  they  may  be  placed  in  any  obscure  part  of  a 
greenhouse  or  in  a  cellar  where  it  is  dry,  and  of  a  tem- 
perature not  under  forty  degrees.  If  kept  in  such  a 


FALL   OR   HOLLAND    BULBS,   ETC.  59 

situation  during  winter,  some  kinds  may  be  turned  out 
into  u  warm  border  in  spring,  where  they  will  flower ; 
and  if  the  season  be  fine,  they  will  ripen  their  bulbs  in 
time  to  be  taken  up  before  tha  approach  of  frost. 

The  chief  value  of  these  plants,  however,  is  to  produce 
flowers  in  the  winter  season,  which  they  readily  do  if 
they  are  kept  dry  and  dormant  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  summer  and  autumn.  Indeed,  by  having  a  large 
stock  of  these  bulbs,  a  regular  succession  of  flowers  may 
be  obtained  during  the  year.  When  the  dormant  bulbs 
are  wanted  to  be  thrown  into  flower,  they  should  be  fresh 
potted  in  sandy  loam  and  leaf  mold,  and  put  in  a  hot- 
house, hot-bed,  or  warm  sitting-room,  at  any  date  from 
October  to  January,  when  the  dry  bulbs  can  be  had. 
They  should  ba  kept  rather  dry,  and  covered  up  with 
leaves  until  the  pot  is  well  filled  with  roots,  just  as  is 
done  in  forcing  Hyacinths  or  Lilies,  except,  in  the  case 
of  Amaryllis,  the  temperature  requires  to  be  kept  ten 
degrees  higher,  the  heat  beginning  at  fifty  degrees,  and 
ascending  to  sixty  or  seventy  degrees;  and  when  the 
leaves  or  the  flowers  appear,  the  plants  should  be  abund- 
antly supplied  with  water.  Our  long  and  warm  summers 
enable  us  to  cultivate  many  of  these  beautiful  bulbs  in 
the  open  air,  by  merely  protecting  the  roots  in  winter  in 
some  dry,  warm  cellar,  as  we  do  Dahlias  or  Potatoes. 

THE   CYCLAMEN. 

Many  amateur  florists  have  an  ambition  to  grow  this 
beautiful  bulb,  and  it  is  often  done  well  even  in  an  ordi- 
nary sitting-room,  though,  as  it  requires  a  season  of  rest, 
it  is  often  injured  by  this  not  being  given  properly  or  at 
the  right  time.  Cyclamen  bulbs,  in  the  dry  state,  can  be 
procured  usually  from  seedsmen  in  September  or  October. 
When  received  they  should  be  potted  in  five,  six,  or  seven 
inch  pots,  according  to  the  size  of  the  bulb.  The  pots 
should  be  well  drained  and  filled  loosely  with  rich,  soft 


GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 


soil,  such  as  is  composed  of  one-third  leaf  mold  being 
best.  Press  the  bulb  into  the  earth  so  that  its  top  is 
level  with  the  surface.  Give  it  a  good  watering,  and  then 
place  it  in  some  dark  closet  or  cellar  for  three  or  four 
weeks,  when  it  may  be  brought  into  the  light.  The 
bulbs  can  often  be  bought  already  started  from  the  flor- 


Fig.  33.— CYCLAMEN. 

ists,  when  they  may  be  placed  among  a  general  assort- 
ment of  plants  that  are  kept  at  fifty  degrees  at  night  with 
ten  to  fifteen  higher  in  the  daytime.  The  Cyclamen 
flowers  usually  from  January  to  April.  When  done  flower- 
ing the  plants  should  be  dried  off  by  laying  the  pots 
on  their  sides,  as  recommended  for  Callas,  say  from  May 
to  September,  and  then  started  again  in  the  way  advise^ 
above. 


PROPAGATION   OF   PLANTS  BY   SEEDS.  61 

CHAPTER     XL 
PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS    BY   SEEDS. 

NATURE  provides  abundantly  for  the  reproduction  of 
plants,  and  the  difficulty  of  multiplying  by  one  method 
is  compensated  by  the  ease  with  which  it  may  be  done  by 
another.  Whenever  we  find  a  plant  that  takes  root  with 
difficulty  from  "  slips"  or  cuttings,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten  we  find  that  it  seeds  freely,  and  gives  us  a  ready 
means  of  increase.  Thus  we  find  that  the  much-admired 
Centaureas, one  kind  of  the  "Dusty  Millers"  (the  white- 
leaved  plants  now  so  much  used  in  massing  and  for 
baskets)  are  exceedingly  difficult  and  slow  to  root  from 
cuttings,  but  are  readily  raised  from  seeds.  Our  fine 
strains  of  blotched  Petunias  are  also  troublesome  as  cut- 
tings, but  make  plants  quickly  from  seeds.  The  Cycla- 
men, with  its  turnip-like  stem  or  bulb,  could  only  be 
propagated  by  cutting  it  in  pieces,  disfiguring  its  shape, 
and  requiring  years  to  form  a  circular  bulb  again  ;  but 
here  we  have  seed  coming  to  our  help,  which  germinate 
freely,  and  make  flowering  plants  in  one  year.  The 
Apple  Geranium  never  affords  proper  cuttings  from 
which  to  make  a  plant,  but  it  seeds  freely,  from  which 
splendid  plants  can  be  produced  in  a  few  months.  So 
the  Primulas  and  Cinerarias,  both  slow  and  uncertain 
from  cuttings,  seed  freely.  Echeveria  metallica,  one  of 
the  beautiful  plants  of  the  Houseleek  family,  produces 
no  bud  from  the  base  of  the  leaf,  as  nearly  all  the  other 
species  do;  but,  to  make  up,  it  seeds  abundantly,  and  so 
with  hundreds  of  other  plants  to  which  our  space  will 
not  permit  us  to  refer.  There  is  no  rule  by  which  we 
can  designate  what  plants  are  best  propagated  by  seeds, 
and  what  by  cuttings,  experience  being  the  only  teacher, 
and  even  the  experience  of  a  lifetime  is  too  short  for 


62  GARDENING  FOK  PLEASURE. 

those  of  us  that  have  had  the  largest  practice.  The  de. 
scriptive  catalogues  issued  by  seedsmen  and  florists  are 
now  excellent  practical  guides  in  this  matter,  as  the 
seeds  of  all  plants  best  propagated  from  seeds  are  offered 
in  the  seed  department  of  the  catalogues,  while  those  that 
are  usually  propagated  by  cuttings  are  offered  in  the  plant 
catalogues. 

Seedling  plants  can  be  nearly  a3  well  raised  in  the  win- 
dow of  a  sitting-room  or  parlor,  provided  the  tempera- 
ture is  right,  as  in  a  greenhouse,  for  seeds  do  not  need  a 
strong  direct  light  while  germinating ;  in  fact,  that  is 
often  a  difficulty  in  a  greenhouse,  as  the  surface  of  the 
seed-bed  dries  up  too  quickly  in  the  direct  sunshine,  ne- 
cessitating watering,  which  bakes  the  surface.  The  best 
thing  wherein  to  sow  seeds  is  a  shallow  box,  which  need 
not  be  more  than  two  inches  deep,  with  open  seams  at 
the  bottom  through  which  water  will  drain  quickly.  Fill 
the  box  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top  with  light  rich 
earth.  If  it  can  be  procured,  nothing  is  better  than  black 
leaf  mold  from  the  woods,  or  light  sandy  soil  mixed  with 
an  equal  bulk  of  stable  manure,  so  rotted  as  to  resemble 
leaf  mold  ;  but  it  will  not  answer  unless  rotted  as  fine  as 
dust.  In  the  absence  of  either  of  these,  sweepings  from 
a  paved  street  are  excellent,  mixed  with  light  sandy  soil, 
the  object  in  all  cases  being  lightness  of  the  soil  or  mold 
in  which  the  seed  is  to  be  sown  ;  for  if  tiny  seeds,  as 
many  of  our  flower  seeds  are,  are  embedded  in  a  stiff  soil, 
the  germ  in  many  of  them  is  too  weak  to  push  its  way  to 
the  light.  When  the  proper  soil  has  been  secured,  pat  it 
down  with  a  smooth  board  until  it  is  as  smooth  and  level 
as  it  well  can  be;  then  sow  the  seed  carefully  over  the  sur- 
face, distributing  it  evenly,  and  with  a  common  kitchen 
sieve  sift  just  so  much  earth  evenly  over  the  seed  as 
will  cover  it  and  no  more,  pressing  it  down  a^ain  with  the 
smooth  board  ;  next  take  a  watering  pot  with  the  finest 
kind  of  a  rose,  and  shower  the  earth  with  the  spray. 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS   BY   SEEDS.  63 

Keep  the  box  at  a  temperature  as  near  sixty  degrees  as 
possible  at  night,  with  ten  degrees  higher  in  the  daytime, 
taking  care  to  give  it  a  shower  of  spray  only  when  the 
surface  appears  to  be  dry.  But  few  seeds  will  fail  to 
germinate  under  such  conditions.  This  temperature  will 
suffice  for  the  germination  of  seeds  of  nearly  all  annuals 
and  general  assortment  of  greenhouse  plants,  which  may 
be  sown  in  greenhouse,  hot-bed,  or  sitting-room,  from 
January  until  March;  by  that  time,  as  the  season  gets 
warmer,  seeds  of  tropical  plants,  such  as  Coleus,  Egg 
Plant,  etc.,  may  be  sown.  But  after  the  seeds  have 
'•  brairded,"  as  the  Scotch  gardeners  say,  comes  another 
difficulty.  In  quite  a  number  of  plants,  particulsrly  if 
sown  in  the  house,  just  as  soon  as  the  seed  leaf  has  de- 
veloped, and  before  the  first  rough  or  true  leaves  have 
formed,  the  seedling  is  attacked  by  a  minute  fungus, 
that  will  often  sweep  off  the  whole  crop  in  forty-eight 
hours  if  not  attended  to.  The  required  attention  is,  that 
as  soon  as  there  are  indications  of  the  "  damping  off"  of 
these  tiny  seedlings,  they  must  be  carefully  taken  up  and 
planted  out  in  similar  boxes,  prepared  exactly  as  the 
seed-boxes  have  been.  They  may  be  planted  quite  closely, 
not  more  than  half  an  inch  apart,  and  let  their  further 
treatment  be  exactly  the  same  as  in  germinating  the  seeds. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  they  will  have  grown  freely, 
and  they  may  then  be  lifted  and  placed  in  similar  boxes, 
but  wider  apart,  say  three  or  four  inches,  or  potted  singly 
in  two  and  a  half  or  three-inch  pots,  as  most  convenient, 
until  such  time  as  they  are  to  be  planted  out  in  the 
open  ground,  or  used  otherwise.  In  this  way  as  great 
a  number  of  plants  may  be  raised  from  a  twenty-five 
or  fifty  cent  packet  of  seed  as  would  cost  $25  or  $50 
to  purchase  in  plants,  besides  the  far  greater  satisfaction 
o*  their  being  the  product  of  your  own  hands. 


64  GABDENING   FOE   PLEASUEE. 

CHAPTER    XII. 
PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS   BY  CUTTINGS. 

THEEE  is  no  more  interesting  operation  to  the  amateur 
gardener  than  that  of  increasing  his  stock  of  plants  by 
cuttings  or  slips.  Heretofore  it  was  accounted  a  great 
mystery,  and  unless  with  some  of  the  commonest  kinds 
of  Geraniums,  few  amateurs  ever  presumed  to  invade  the 
territory  of  the  professional  gardener.  Nearly  all  writers 
on  the  subject  had  so  befogged  this  simple  matter  with 
technical  nonsense,  that  few,  not  regularly  brought  up  to 
the  business,  presumed  to  attempt  it.  We  now  consider 
it  one  of  our  simplest  operations;  far  simpler  than  raising 
many  kinds  of  plants  from  seed.  Though  we  raise  over 
two  millions  of  plants  annually,  and  keep  a  professional 
propagator  with  three  assistants  doing  nothing  else  the  en- 
tire year  but  propagating  plants  from  slips,  yet  we  could 
take  any  careful,  intelligent  man  from  among  our  garden 
laborers,  and  install  him  as  a  competent  propagator  in  a 
year,  and  for  many  of  the  commoner  things  in  half  that 
time.  Where  plants  are  propagated  from  cuttings  in 
large  numbers,  we  elevate  a  bench,  usually  four  feet  wide, 
above  the  flue  or  hot- water  or  steam  pipes,  to  within  a  foot 
or  so  of  the  glass  at  the  front,  and  on  this  table  or  bench 
we  place  three  or  four  inches  of  sand,  of  any  color  or  tex- 
ture, provided  it  is  not  from  the  sea-shore  (which  contains 
salt).  This  bench  is  boarded  down  in  front,  so  as  to  con- 
fine the  heat  from  the  flue  or  pipes  under  it,  and  give 
what  is  called  ''bottom  heat."  The  sand  on  a  bench  so 
wormed  will  indicate  a  temperature  of  perhaps  seventy 
degrees,  while  the  atmosphere  of  the  greenhouse,  partic- 
ularly during  the  night,  will  be  ten  degrees  less.  Now, 
if  the  cuttings  are  in  the  right  condition,  and  are  inserted 
an  inch  or  so  in  the  sand,  freely  watered,  and  shaded 


PEOPAGATION   OF   PLANTS   BY    CUTTINGS.  65 

from  the  sun  from  9  or  10  A.M.  to  3  or  4  P.M.,  cuttings 
of  nearly  all  kinds  of  plants  are  certain  to  take  root  in 
from  ten  to  twenty  days.  But  the  cutting  must  be  in 
the  right  condition,  and  this  is  best  shown  by  the  engrav- 
ing (figure  24).  It  will  be  observed  that  the  upper 
portion  of  the  shoot  is  snapped  or  broken,  while  the 


Fig.  24.— PROPER  AND  IMPROPER  STATE  OF  CUTTING. 

Other  is  only  kneed  or  bent.  This  "snapping  point," 
now  term  it,  is  a  true  indication  of  proper  condition  of 
the  cutting.  Where  it  bends  and  does  not  break,  it  is  too 
hard ;  and  though  a  cutting  will  root  when  in  that  con- 
dition, it  will  be  slower  in  doing  so,  and  the  roots  thrown 
out  from  it  will  be  weaker  and  more  wiry  than  when 
emitted  from  a  cutting  taken  in  the  condition  in  which 


66  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

it  breaks.  Besides,  the  plant  grown  from  the  older  cut. 
ting  is  not  likely  to  be  so  healthy  or  vigorous  as  one  made 
when  the  shoot  is  in  the  proper  state. 

In  propagating  woody  plants,  such  as  Roses,  Azaleas, 
or  Camellias,  this  test  of  breaking  or  snapping  of  the 
cutting  does  not  in  these  indicate  the  proper  condition. 
Although  they  also  will  root  if  taken  in  the  soft  state, 
yet  we  find  it  is  not  quite  so  well  to  do  so  as  to  wait  until 
the  cuttings  of  these  woody  plants  get  harder.  What 
this  proper  hardness  is,  it  is  not  very  easy  always  to  deter- 
mine. In  Hoses  the  best  condition  for  taking  the  cutting 
is  reached  when  the  young  shoot  (of  which  the  cutting 
is  made)  develops  the  flower  bud  to  about  the  size  of  a 
large  pea.  Although  the  shoot  on  which  the  flower  bud 
shows  will  make  a  proper  enough  cutting,  yet,  if  it  is  not 
desired  to  waste  the  flower,  cuttings  had  better  be  made 
of  the  "  blind  "  shoots,  i.  e.,  such  young  shoots  as  do  not 
flower.  In  making  the  cuttings  of  Eoses,  or,  in  fact,  of 
almost  all  plants  (with  a  few  exceptions  hardly  worth 
noting),  there  is  no  need  to  cut  at  a  joint,  although  nine 
gardeners  out  of  ten  still  do  so,  particularly  those  who 
have  learned  the  business  in  Europe,  where,  in  this  as  in 
many  other  things  in  horticulture,  they  still  follow  the 
dictum  of  some  savant  of  a  century  ago,  never  question- 
ing why.  But  our  business  necessities  here  have  caused 
us  to  ride  rough-shod  over  many  of  their  set  rules,  and 
in  none  more  ruthlessly  than  in  this  matter  of  propa- 
gating. But  as  this  book  is  written  mainly  for  amateurs 
in  gardening,  I  will  proceed  to  give  a  simple  method  by 
which  any  one  can  propagate  plants  from  cuttings  or 
Blips,  even  when  no  greenhouse  or  hot-bed  is  at  hand. 
It  is  called 

THE  "MUD"  OR  "SAUCER  SYSTEM"  OF  PROPAGATING. 

Take  any  common  saucer  or  plate,  into  which  put 
sand  to  the  depth  of  an  inch  or  so  ;  then  prepare  the  cut- 


"  PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS   BY    CUTTINGS.  t>7 

tings  in  the  usual  manner,  and  insert  them  in  the  sand 
close  enough  to  touch  each  other,  as  in  figure  25.  The 
sand  is  then  to  be  watered  to  bring  it  to  the  condition  of 
mud.  The  saucer  with  the  cuttings  is  then  placed  on 
the  shelf  of  the  greenhouse,  in  the  hot-bed,  or  in  a  sunny 
window  of  any  room  in  the  dwelling-house  ;  in  each  case 
fully  exposed  to  the  sun  and  never  shaded.  But  one 
condition  is  essential  to  success  :  until  the  cuttings  be- 
come rooted,  the  sand  must  be  kept  continually  saturated 
with  water  and  always  in  the  condition  of  mud.  To  do 
this  the  saucers  must  be  watered  at  least  once  a  day  with 
a  very  fine  rose  watering  pot,  and  the  watering  must  be 
done  very  gently,  else  the  cuttings  may  be  washed  out. 
There  is  every  probability  that  ninety  per  cent,  of  all  cut- 
tings put  in  will  take  root, 
provided  they  were  in  the 
proper  condition,  and  the 
temperature  has  not  been 
lower  than  sixty-five  de- 
grees nor  above  one  hun- 
dred. By  the  saucer  sys- 

Fig.  25.-SAUCEK   PROPAGATION.  ^  ft  j^,.   temperature 

may  be  maintained  without  injury,  as  the  cuttings  are  in 
reality  placed  in  water,  and  will  not  wilt,  provided  the  wa- 
ter is  not  allowed  to  dry  up.  Still  the  detached  slip,  until 
rooted,  will  not  endure  a  long  continuance  of  one  hundred 
degrees,  and  we  advise  that  propagation  be  done  at  such 
seasons  that  the  cuttings,  wherever  they  may  be  placed, 
will  have,  as  near  as  possible,  an  average  temperature  of 
seventy-five  or  eighty  degrees  in  the  sunlight.  The  cut- 
tings will  root  (according  to  kinds  and  the  temperature)  in 
from  six  to  twenty  days.  Verbenas,  Heliotropes,  Fuchsias, 
etc. ,  root  in  a  week,  while  Roses,  Carnations,  or  Azaleas, 
take  two,  three,  or  four  weeks.  When  rooted  they  should 
be  potted  in  light  soil  (such  as  recommended  in  the 
article  "Propagating  of  Plants  by  Seeds"),  in  pots  from 


68  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

two  to  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  treated  carefully  by 
shading  and  watering  for  two  or  three  days.  The  shad- 
ing is  best  done  by  covering  the  cuttings,  after  they  are 
potted  off,  with  paper  kept  damp  by  sprinkling,  say  from 
9  A.M.  to  3  P.M.  if  the  sun  is  shining  on  them.  To  such 
as  desire  more  extended  information  on  the  subject  of 
propagating  plants  by  cuttings,  I  would  refer  to  my  work, 
"Practical  Floriculture." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
PROPAGATING   BY   LAYERING. 

ALTHOUGH  florists  now  rarely  resort  to  propagation  by 
layering,  yet  now  and  then  it  may  be  desirable  for  ama- 
teurs   to    increase    the 
number  of  some  favorite 
plant  during  the  sum- 
mer season,   where   no 
other  method  of  propa- 
gation can  be  used.  The 
only  difference  between 
a  layer  and  a  cutting  is, 
that  the  cutting  is  en- 
tirely detached  from  the 
parent  plant,  while  the 
layer  remains  partly  con- 
nected   with    it.      Al- 
though layering  may  be     Fis'  26-~ ^OPAGATING  BY 
done  with  the  ripened  wood  of  vines  or  shrubs  of  the 
growth  of  the  previous  season,  yet  it  is  preferable  to  use 
the  shoot  of  the  present  year  in  its  half-green  state.    For 
example,  a  rose  or  flowering  shrub  is  pruned  in  the  usual 
way  in  spring  ;  by  midsummer  it  will  have  made  strong 
shoots  one,  two,  or  three  feet  in  length  from  or  near  the 


ABOUT    GRAFTING   AND   BUDDING.  69 

base  of  the  plant.  Take  the  shoot  then  in  the  left  hand 
(after  having  stripped  it  of  its  leaves  for  a  few  inches  on 
each  side  of  where  it  is  to  be  cut),  keep  the  fingers  under 
the  shoot,  and  make  a  cut  on  the  upper  part,  an  inch  or  so 
in  length,  and  to  about  half  the  thickness  of  the  shoot ; 
then  slightly  twist  the  "  tongue"  or  cut  part  to  one  side, 
as  shown  in  the  engraving,  figure  26.  Having  opened  a 
shallow  trench,  fasten  the  branch  down  with  a  hooked 
peg,  and  cover  with  earth.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  place  a 
flat  stone  over  the  layer  to  prevent  the  soil  from  drying 
out.  This  plan  of  cutting  the  shoot  in  layering  is  rarely 
shown  in  illustrations  on  the  subject,  the  cuts  usually 
being  represented  at  the  under  side  of  the  shoot.  When 
cut  at  the  lower  side,  the  shoot  can  not  be  laid  down 
without  danger  of  breaking  it. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 
ABOUT   GRAFTING  AND   BUDDING. 

IT  is  often  desirable  to  be  able  to  bud  or  graft  one  va- 
riety of  plant  on  another  entirely  different  variety;  and 
it  is  an  interesting  fact  to  know  that  the  bud  taken  from 
one  plant  and  inserted  so  that  it  grows  in  another,  and 
is  entirely  sustained  by  the  plant  into  which  it  has  been 
budded,  in  no  way  changes  its  character.  This  fact  is  so 
well  known  to  gardeners  that  they  rarely  think  it  neces- 
sary to  mention  it  in  writing  on  the  subject,  and  many 
amateurs  interested  in  horticultural  matters  have  very 
confused  notions  on  budding.  To  illustrate  :  if  a  leaf 
bud  is  taken  from  a  white  Rose,  and  inserted  in  the  stem 
of  a  red  Rose,  all  the  branches  that  proceed  from  this 
bud,  leaves  or  flowers,  will  be  identical  with  the  white 
Rose  from  which  it  was  taken.  Or  if  a  leaf  bud  of  the 
red  Rose  be  inserted  in  the  white,  the  same  result  will 


70  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

follow ;  it  will  be  identical  in  all  respects  with  the  red 
variety.  Or  you  may  take  a  bud  or  graft  from  the  sour- 
est Crab  Apple,  and  insert  it  into  a  branch  of  the  sweetest 
Apple  tree  you  can  find,  and  the  shoot  which  grows  from 
the  Crab  Apple  bud  will  ever  remain  a  Crab,  and  will  in 
no  way  be  affected  by  the  sweet  Apple  stock  on  which  it 
is  growing.  Or  if  the  operation  is  reversed,  and  the 
sweet  Apple  be  budded  or  grafted  on  the  sour,  the  result 
will  be  the  same.  Its  individuality  will  be  in  no  way 
changed  ;  it  will  be  identical  with  the  variety  from  which 
it  was  taken. 

Still  further  to  illustrate  this  matter  of  budding  or 
grafting,  you  may  take  a  Rose-bush  having  any  number 
of  shoots,  it  makes  no  difference  whether  one  or  a  hun- 
dred. On  each  shoot  you  may  bud  a  distinct  variety  of 
Hose,  of  all  the  colors,  forms,  or  odors  embraced  in 
Roses,  and  each  one  will  hold  its  distinct  characteristic 
of  color,  form,  or  fragrance,  be  it  crimson,  white,  pink, 
or  yellow  in  color,  double  or  single  in  form,  or  of  tea  or 
other  odor.  Or  you  may  take  a  young  seedling  Apple 
tree,  insert  a  bud  of  another  into  it,  then,  after  that  bud 
has  made  a  growth,  bud  still  another  variety  into  that, 
and  so  on  as  many  as  is  desired ;  rub  off  all  shoots  in  the 
stem  that  start  below,  and  the  variety  last  budded  will 
hold  its  individuality  unchanged,  no  matter  though  the 
life-sustaining  sap  flows  through  the  cells  of  several  dif- 
ferent kinds.  You  may  mark  the  space  occupied  by  each 
of  the  varieties,  and  cut  back  to  any  particular  variety, 
and  the  fruit  that  will  be  prodr.ced  by  that  part,  which 
will  then  be  the  top,  will  hold  its  character  without 
change.  What  is  true  of  looses  and  Apples  is,  of  course, 
equally  true  of  whatever  plant  that  can  be  grafted  or 
budded. 

The  stock  does  not  in  any  manner  affect  the  individu- 
ality of  the  graft,  and  I  supposed  that  this  was  one  of  the 
generally  accepted  axioms  of  horticulture  ;  but  in  a  con- 


ABOUT    GRAFTING    AND   BUDDING.  71 

versation  not  long  ago  with  a  gentleman  whose  opinion  is 
entitled  to  consideration,  I  found  him  inclined  to  believe 
that  there  were  some  few  exceptions  to  what  had  been 
admitted  to  be  a  general  law,  and  in  support  of  his  argu- 
ment he  referred  me  for  exceptions  to  Darwin's  "  Plants 
and  Animals  under  Domestication."  I  have  examined 
this  work,  and  find  but  few  cases  wherein  it  is  claimed 
that  the  graft  is  influenced  by  the  stock,  or  the  stock  by 
the  graft.  At  page  413,  vol.  i.,  is  cited  one  of  the  most 
important,  that  of  the  Cytisus  Adami,  produced,  it  is 
claimed,  by  grafting  the  Cytisus  purpurea  on  the  Cytisus 
Laburnum.  This  so-called  " graft  hybrid"  repeatedly 
showed  its  drooping  racemes  of  flowers  to  be  blended  yel- 
low and  purple  on  the  same  raceme,  and  again,  on  the  same 
plant,  racemes  clear  yellow  and  clear  purple  unblended 
were  produced.  Again  at  page  457,  vol.  i.,  where  "  Prof. 
Caspary  describes  the  case  of  a  six-year-old  white  Moss 
Rose,  which  sent  up  several  suckers,  one  of  which  was 
thorny  and  destitute  of  moss,  exactly  like  those  of  the  Pro- 
vence Rose  (R.  centifolia),  while  another  shoot  bore  both 
kinds  of  flowers,  and  in  addition  longitudinally  striped 
flowers.  As  this  white  Moss  had  been  grafted  on  the 
Provence  Rose,  Prof.  Caspary  attributes  the  above  changes 
to  the  influence  of  the  stock  ;  but,  from  the  facts  already 
given,  and  from  others  to  be  given,  bud  variation  with 
reversion  is  probably  sufficient  explanation  ; "  and  Dar- 
win proceeds  to  give  nearly  a  dozen  cases  of  like  variation 
where  there  was  no  grafting  at  all.  A  very  marked  case 
of  this  "  bud  variation "  recently  occurred  in  my  own 
greenhouses.  In  a  bed  of  about  one  hundred  plants 
of  the  Tea  Rose  "La  Nankin,"  all  made  from  cuttings 
from  one  parent  plant,  we  have  had  four  distinct  varie- 
ties. The  original  flower  or  bud  has  its  base  or  lower 
half  of  a  nankeen  yellow  color,  while  its  upper  half  is 
pure  white,  the  separate  colors  being  clearly  defined  ;  yet 
among  our  plants  from  cuttings  we  have  some  flowers 


72  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

that  are  entirely  of  the  nankeen  color,  without  white ; 
then,  again,  pure  white  with  no  nankeen,  and  on  one  shoot 
the  flowers  came  of  a  light  pink  or  blush  shade.  Now 
had  Prof.  Caspary  a  grafted  plant  of  "  La  Nankin  "  play- 
ing these  freaks,  he  no  doubt  would  have  concluded  that 
it  was  the  influence  of  the  graft  on  the  stock.  There  are 
other  instances  in  grafting  where  an  amalgamation  of 
individualities  apparently  occurs.  These  cases  are  famil- 
iar to  all  horticulturists  of  much  experience,  and  are  also 
alluded  to  by  Darwin  in  the  work  above  referred  to.  He 
gives  a  number  of  instances  where  the  variegated  Ole- 
ander grafted  on  the  plain-leaved  variety  as  a  stock, 
imparts  the  variegation  to  the  stock,  or  where  a  yellow- 
leaved  ash  tree,  grafted  on  the  common  green-leaved 
variety,  produced  a  blotched  or  variegated  variety.  That 
most  of  the  variegation  in  the  foliage  of  plants  is  due 
to  disease,  or  at  least  some  disturbance  of  the  regular 
functions  of  the  sap,  there  is  but  little  doubt,  and  it  is 
therefore  but  an  accidental  condition  of  the  individual. 
Where  a  variegated  plant  is  budded  or  grafted  upon  a 
healthy  subject,  the  disease  is  transmitted  from  the  un- 
healthy bud  or  graft  to  the  healthy  stock  in  a  manner 
somewhat  analogous  to  inoculation  of  smallpox  virus  in 
man.  The  character  or  constitution  of  the  individual  is 
in  no  way  affected  in  the  one  case  more  than  in  the  other. 
All  who  have  been  extensively  engaged  in  the  growing  of 
plants,  either  in  the  greenhouse  or  in  the  open  field, 
know  that,  when  variegated  kinds  of  almost  any  variety 
of  woody  plants  are  grafted  on  those  having  plain  leaves, 
the  variegation  will  be  transferred  to  the  plain-leaved 
stock,  but  the  variegation  only;  it  is  changed  in  no  other 
respect.  The  most  common  examples  of  this  are  the 
variegated  Abutilon,  variegated  Altheas,  or  variegated 
Ivies,  which  almost  invariably  transmit  the  "diseased" 
foliage  to  the  healthy  stock;  but  there  is  never  any  change 
made  in  the  coloring  of  the  flower  nor  in  the  shape  of 


ABOUT   GRAFTING    AND    BUDDING.  73 

the  leaves.  I  consider  it  most  unfortunate  for  Mr.  Dar- 
win to  have  advanced  the  peculiarity  of  variegated  leaves, 
as  bearing  on  his  theory  of  " graft  hybrids."  That  leaf 
variegation  is  indicative  of  disease  is  manifest  from  many 
facts.  It  is  quite  a  common  thing  to  find  a  shoot  sent 
out  by  the  silver-leaved  or  variegated  Geraniums  that  is 
pure  white  in  stem  and  leaves,  without  a  particle  of  green, 
or  such  golden  variegated  kinds  of  Geraniums  as  "Mrs. 
Pollock"  will  send  out  a  pure  yellow  shoot ;  but  all  efforts 
to  make  plants  of  such  shoots  will  fail.  They  may  feebly 
root  as  cuttings,  or  they  may  be  grafted  on  a  green-leaved, 
healthy  stock  long  enough  to  drag  out  a  few  •weeks  of 
existence,  but  the  disease  is  here  thoroughly  established, 
and  all  attempts  to  propagate  these  entirely  abnormal 
growths  completely  fail.  It  has  been  claimed  that  the 
Duchescse  d'Angouleme  and  other  pears  are  much  better 
flavored  when  grafted  on  the  quince  than  on  the  pear 
stock,  and  these  are  quoted  as  examples  of  the  influence 
of  the  stock  on  the  graft;  but  to  me  this  seems  capable  of 
another  explanation. 

We  know  that  the  pear  stock  is  a  vigorous  and  ram- 
pant grower  as  compared  with  the  quince,  and  may  it  not 
be  that  this  vigor  of  growth  in  the  tree  impairs  the  flavor 
of  the  fruit  in  some  varieties,  just  as  we  find  the  flavor  of 
fruits  impaired  when  grown  in  too  rich  soil  ?  The  effect 
of  soil  upon  quality  is  particularly  marked  in  melons.  I 
remember  that  I  once  grew  a  field  of  three  acres  of  Nutmeg 
melons.  One  half  of  the  patch  was  rich  bottom  land,  and 
the  other  portion  was  a  rather  poor  hillside.  The  fruit  pro- 
duced on  the  bottom  land  was  much  larger,  but  so  different 
from  and  inferior  in  flavor  to  those  on  the  hillside  that  no 
one  would  have  recognized  the  two  as  being  of  the  same 
variety.  Grapes  grown  on  a  shaly  hillside  are  better  fla- 
vored than  on  a  rich  alluvial  deposit.  The  same,  though 
in  a  less  marked  degree,  probably  occurs  in  other  fruits 
under  similar  conditions.  For  these  reasons  I  believe 


74  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

it  safe  to  assert  that  the  preponderance  of  evidence  is 
against  the  belief  that  the  stock  in  any  manner  affects 
the  graft  other  than  that  it  may  cause  it  to  grow  stronger 
or  weaker,  just  as  the  stock  is  strong  or  weak,  and  the 
amount  of  such  influence  will  be  only  such  as  a  rich  or 
poor  soil  would  produce.  In  other  words,  the  '•  stock  " 
is  only  a  medium  or  soil  wherein  the  grafted  individual 
grows,  and  affects  it  no  more  than  if  it  drew  its  suste- 
nance direct  from  the  earth  :  strong,  if  on  a  strong  stock, 
as  on  a  fertile  soil,  and  weak,  if  on  a  weak  stock,  as  on  a 
sterile  soil. 

I  believe  that  the  smallest  or  the  greatest  of  God's 
creations  has  a  separate  and  distinct  individuality,  and 
that  they  cannot  be  blended,  except  by  generation,  and 
that  the  product  of  generation,  whether  in  the  lowest 
microscopic  germ,  or  in  the  highest  type,  man,  has  an 
individuality  distinct  and  separate  that  it  cannot  attach 
to  another. 


CHAPTER    XV. 
HOW  GRAFTING  AND  BUDDING  ARE  DONE. 

AFTER  this  discussion  of  general  principles,  let  us  come 
to  the  practice  of  grafting  and  budding.  In  what  has 
been  said,  the  words  have  been  used  as  synonyms,  and  their 
object  is  precisely  the  same — to  propagate  a  particular 
plant  upon  a  rooted  plant  of  another  kind.  Among 
fruits  we  do  this  because  we  cannot  multiply  choice  vari- 
eties by  seed  or  by  cuttings.  Stocks  are  raised  from  seed, 
which,  if  allowed  to  grow  and  bear,  may  produce  a  poor 
and  worthless  fruit,  or  it  may  be  a  good  kind.  To  make 
matters  sure,  we  graft  a  twig  of  a  kind  that  we  know  upon 
a  seedling  about  which  we  know  nothing.  With  Camellias, 
some  of  the  choice  kinds,  cannot  well  be  propagated 


HOW   GRAFTING   AND   BUDDING   ARE   DONE.  75 

from  cuttings,  but  many  of  the  commoner  kinds  will  grow 
in  this  way,  and  the  choice  Camellias  are  grafted  upon 
stocks  obtained  by  rooting  cuttings  of  the  other  strong 
growing  kinds  ;  so  in  various  cases  among  fruits  and 
flowers,  budding  or  grafting  affords  the  readiest,  if  not 
the  only  method  by  which  we  can  multiply  certain  va- 
rieties. A  graft  is  a  twig  containing  one  or  more  buds, 
and  so  inserted  or  planted  in  the  stock  that  the  new 
bark  and  new  wood  of  the  two  shall  be  in  close  con- 
tact. In  budding,  a  single  bud  with  as  little  wood  as 
possible,  is  inserted  or  planted  below  the  bark  of  the 
stock,  and  in  direct  contact  with  its  new  or  sap  wood. 
While  we  give  the  two  operations  different  names,  the 
French  call  budding  simply  a  variety  of  grafting — shield- 
grafting.  In  a  general  way,  it  may  be  stated  that  in 
grafting  we  use  buds  of  a  previous  year,  and  insert  them 
upon  the  stock  where  they  are  to  grow  the  spring  after 
they  are  formed,  and  as  soon  as  vegetation  starts,  these 
buds  commence  to  grow.  In  budding  we  use  buds  of  the 
current  season's  growth.  The  recently  formed  buds,  near 
the  end  of  the  growing  season,  are  planted  in  the  stock, 
where  they  unite,  and  remain  dormant  until  spring,  when 
the  inserted  bud  pushes  into  growth  at  the  time  that  the 
natural  buds  of  the  stock  start.  These  statements  apply 
only  to  out-door  grafting  and  budding.  When  these  oper- 
ations are  performed  under  glass,  the  propagator  has  con- 
trol of  atmospheric  conditions,  and  varies  them  to  suit 
the  subjects  in  hand.  In  out-door  grafting,  such  as  that 
upon  fruit  trees,  the  cions  are  best  if  cut  in  the  fall  and 
preserved  in  sand  or  sawdust  in  the  cellar  during  the 
winter  ;  though  with  very  hardy  sorts  this  is  not  essential, 
they  should  be  cut  before  any  swelling  of  the  buds  takes 
place.  The  operation  succeeds  best  when  the  buds  on 
the  cion  are  perfectly  dormant,  and  those  on  the  stock 
have  swollen  and  about  to  open. 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


GRAFTING. 

The  various  methods  of  grafting  are  too  many  to  de- 
scribe here.  The  simplest  is  the  cleft  graft.  The  stock  is 
sawed  off,  and  the  end  cleft  or  split  for  a  few  inches  down 
through  the  center  (figure  27) ;  the  cion  (or  two  if  the 
stock  is  over  an  inch  in  diameter),  with  two  or  three 
buds,  has  its  lower  end  smoothly  cut  to  form  a  wedge  a 
trifle  thicker  on  one  side  than  the  other  (figure  28) ;  the 
cleft  in  the  stock  is  pried 
open  bv  means  of  an  iron 
wedge  or  a  wedge-shaped 
stick,  and  the  cion  or  cions 
set  with  the  thicker  edge 
of  the  wedge  outward,  ob- 
serving to  bring  the  inner 
bark  and  new  wood  of  stock 
and  cion  in  as  close  contact 
as  possible.  The  opening 
wedge  being  withdrawn, 
the  spring  of  the  stock  will 
hold  the  cions  in  place 
(figure  29).  The  junction 
is  to  be  covered  with  graft- 
ing wax,  or  waxed  cloth,  taking  care  to  completely  cover 
every  wounded  portion  of  both  stock  and  cion.  It  is  by 
this  method  that  most  of  the  grafting  is  done  by  farmers 
all  over  the  country.  It  is  rude,  but  very  successful.  The 
objection  to  it  is,  that  it  leaves  too  great  a  wound  to  be 
closed  over.  For  small  stocks  the  whip-graft  is  generally 
used.  It  is  much  easier  to  do  it  than  to  describe  it.  Stock 
and  cion  should  be  as  nearly  of  a  size  as  possible.  Both  are 
cut  with  a  similar  slope,  and  in  each  slope  is  cut  a  tongue, 
as  in  figure  30.  When  the  two  slopes  are  put  together,  the 
two  tongues  are  interlocked  as  in  the  engraving,  taking 
care  that  the  inner  bark  of  stock  and  cion  come  in  con' 


Fig.  27.      Fig.  28.      Fig.  29. 

CLEFT  GRAFTING. 


HOW   GRAFTING   AND   BUDDING   ABE   DONE. 


77 


tact  as  completely  as  possible.  In  this  illustration  the 
parts  are  represented  as  tied  with  twine,  to  show  the 
joint  below,  but  in  practice  the  whole  is  completely  cov- 
ered with  a  band  of  waxed  cloth.  This,  where  practica- 
ble, is  an  excellent  graft,  there  being  no  large  wounds  to 
heal  over,  and  the  points  of  union  are  numerous.  This 
graft  is  much  used  by  nurserymen  in  root  grafting  small 
apple  and  pear  stocks.  A  very  simple  form  called  the 
side-graft  is  often  employed  by  florists  and  nurserymen. 


Fig.  30.— WHIP  GRAFT. 


Fig.  31. — SIDE   GKAFT. 


The  cion  is  cut  to  a  long  wedge,  and  the  stock  has  a 
downward  cue  made  in  its  stem,  into  which  the  cion 
is  inserted,  as  in  figure  31.  In  grafting  the  Camellia, 
the  Koso,  and  other  hard-wooded  plants,  a  combina- 
tion of  the  whip  and  side  graft  is  made  use  of,  as 
shown  in  figure  32. 

Grafting  wax  used  to  cover  the  wounds  made  in  graft- 
ing may  be  purchased  at  the  seed  and  implement  stores, 


78  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

or  the  amateur  can  make  it  himself.  It  should  be  soft 
enough  to  be  molded  by  the  heat  of  the  hand  on  a  cool 
day,  but  not  so  soft  as  to  run  when  exposed  to  the  heat 
of  the  sun.  It  is  essentially  rosin  and  beeswax,  with  tal- 
low or  linseed  oil  enough  to  make  it  sufficiently  soft.  A 
good  formula  is  rosin  2  Ibs.,  beeswax  !3/4  lb.,  tallow  3/4 
Ib.  The  better  way  for  the  amateur  to  use  this  is  to  melt 
the  whole  together  thoroughly,  and  then  dip  in  it  strips 
of  well-worn  cloth,  such  as  may  be  torn  from  a  worn-out 
sheet  or  calico  dress.  These  waxed  strips  will  tear  read- 


Fig.  32.— GRAFTING   THE   CAMELLIA. 

ily,  and  may  be  neatly  fitted  to  the  graft  to  make  a  com- 
plete covering.  The  fingers  should  be  slightly  greased 
when  applying  the  waxed  cloth.  We  find  in  our  prac- 
tice of  grafting  Roses,  for  which  we  use  mainly  the  Ma- 
netta  Rose  stock,  to  do  the  work  from  January  to  March, 
a  slight  bottom  heat  is  indispensable  for  the  best  success; 
that  is,  from  sixty-five  to  seventy-five  degrees  bottom 
heat,  with  ten  degrees  less  "top"  "heat,  must,  as  near  as 


HOW   GRAFTING   AND  BUDDING   ARE   DONE. 


79 


possible,  be  kept  in  the  greenhouse  or  hot-bed  where  the 
grafting  is  being  done. 

BUDDING. 

The  shoot  or  stock  to  be  budded  upon  must  be  in  a 
thrifty  growing  state,  so  that  the  bark  can  be  raised 
freely  from  the  wood,  and  the  bud  to  be  inserted  must 
be  in  such  a  state  that  it  shows  prominently  at  the  axil 
of  the  leaf.  Select  a  smooth  portion  of  the  stem  of  the 
stock,  strip  it  of  leaves  sufficiently  to  allow  room  for  the 


.  35.         Fig.  36. 

Bl  D   IN.        BUD  TIED. 
THE  METHOD   OF  BUDDING. 

operation,  and  then  make  a  cut  through  the  bark  to  the 
wood  of  an  inch  or  so,  with  a  cross  cut  at  the  top,  as  shown 
in  figure  34.  Although  the  illustration  does  not  show  it,  a 
slight  cut  of  the  bark  should  be  made  above  the  cross-cut. 
This  is  done  to  allow  the  bud  to  slip  in  better.  This  cus- 
tom, we  think,  is  not  general,  but  we  find  the  operation 
is  done  quicker  and  better  by  its  use.  Next  take  the  shoot 
from  which  the  bud  is  to  be  cut,  and  selecting  a  properly 
developed  bud,  cut  it  from  the  shoot  as  shown  in  figure 
33.  The  edges  of  the  cut  in  the  stock  are  lifted  by 
the  point  of  the  knife  or  an  ivory  attachment  to  the 
budding-knife,  the  bud  inserted  and  pushed  down  as  in 


80  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

figure  35.  The  portion  of  bark  attached  to  the  bud  that 
projects  above  the  horizontal  cut  in  the  stock  is  cut 
off,  and  the  tie  applied.  The  tying  material  should  be 
Kaffia  bark,  though  cotton  wick  or  other  soft  material 
will  do.  The  engraving,  figure  36,  shows  where  to  place 
the  tie ;  but  when  of  Kaffia  bark  it  quite  covers  the  wound 
and  excludes  water  and  prevents  drying.  In  two  or  three 
weeks  after  the  bud  has  been  inserted,  it  will  be  safe  to 
remove  the  tying,  and  if  the  operation  has  been  performed 
on  a  Rose  in  June,  it  will  often  make  a  considerable  growth 
the  same  season  ;  but  if  done  in  August  or  September,  it 
usually  lies  dormant  until  the  next  spring.  All  shoots 
upon  the  stock  below  the  bud  must  be  rubbed  off,  both 
in  budding  and  grafting,  and  when  the  bud  that  has 
been  inserted  starts  to  grow,  the  stem  above  it  must  also 
be  cut  back  just  above,  so  that  the  inserted  bud,  which  now 
becomes  the  plant,  may  get  the  full  benefit  of  the  root. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 
TREATMENT  OF  TROPICAL  BULBS,    SEEDS,  ETC. 

ANY  information  that  can  be  gi,ven  in  an  article  short 
enough  to  be  suitable  for  amateurs  on  a  subject  so  ex- 
tended as  this  must  be  confined  to  a  few  well-known  and 
leading  plants  most  valued  for  general  cultivation.  The 
Tuberose  is  one  of  the  tropical  cla.<s  of  bulbs,  requiring 
at  all  times  a  high  temperature.  Details  of  culture  will  be 
found  in  the  Chapter  on  Bulbs,  Fall  or  Holland,  Page  44. 

Some  of  my  readers  have  seen  or  cultivated  the°bulbs 
known  as  fancy  or  spotted-leaved  Caladiums.  There  are 
probably  no  plants  that  assume  such  varied  and  wonderful 
markings  of  the  leaves  as  these,  so  that  when  first  seen  it 
is  difficult  to  believe  that  such  painting  is  the  work  of  Na- 


TKEATMENT   OF  TEOPICAL  BULBS,    SEEDS,    ETC.        81 

ture  and  not  of  art.  When  properly  grown,  Caladiums  are 
among  the  most  attractive  plants  ab  our  agricultural  fairs 
and  horticultural  exhibitions.  The  continued  high  tem- 
perature necessary  for  the  healthy  growth  of  the  Tuberose 
is  equally  indispensable  for  the  Caladium.  The  bulbs  or 
tubers  we  treat  at  first  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
Tuberose  when  started  for  early  flowering  out-doors  ;  that 
is,  they  should  not  be  started  much  before  May  1st,  and 
never  should  they  be  kept  for  any  length  of  time  in  a  less 
temperature  than  sixty-live  degrees.  They  are  best  started 
in  small  pots,  and  should  be  shifted  into  larger  ones  as 
soon  as  these  get  filled  with  roots.  Started  in  May,  and 
properly  treated,  they  should  be  large  enough  by  August 
or  September  to  require  a  flower  pot  twelve  inches  in 
diameter,  and  the  plant  should  be,  according  to  the 
variety,  from  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter  across  the 
leaves.  Caladiums  require  a  little  shade,  and  if  kept 
in  a  greenhouse  during  summer,  the  glass  should  be 
shaded,  but  the  light  of  an  ordinary  sitting-room  would 
be  just  about  right ;  so  that  even  those  who  have  not  a 
greenhouse  can  grow  these  rather  rare  and  beautiful 
plants  with  perfect  ease.  The  only  thing  necessary,  if 
grown  as  a  window  plant,  is  to  turn  the  pot  around  every 
few  days,  so  that  each  side  may  get  a  proper  amount  of 
light,  a  necessity  with  all  plants  grown  in  windows. 
Caladiums  do  well  a  little  shaded  in  the  open  air,  either 
in  baskets  on  verandas  or  planted  in  the  open  ground. 
The  soil  best  suited  for  its  growth  is  that  known  as  sandy 
loam,  to  which  should  be  added  one-third  rotted  manure 
or  leaf  mold. 

The  same  time  of  starting  and  a  similarly  high  tem- 
perature is  required  for  Begonias  of  all  kinds,  Bouvardias, 
Cannas,  Cissus,  Coleuses,  Dracaenas,  Euphorbias,  Poin- 
settias,  Salvias,  and  all  other  plants  known  as  "hot- 
house ''"  or  "  tropical,"  and  the  same  general  treatment 
will  m  nearly  all  cases  lead  to  satisfactory  results.  All 


82  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

of  the  plants  or  bulbs  referred  to  will  dwindle  or  die  if 
long  kept  in  a  low  temperature,  and  hence  it  is  important 
that  amateurs  should  remember  that  they  ought  not  to 
attempt  the  cultivation  of  these  plants  unless  they  have 
the  means  of  steadily  keeping  up  the  necessary  high  tem- 
perature. For  that  reason  we  recommend  that  they  should 
not  be  started  before  May,  as  then  they  run  less  risk  of 
being  chilled. 

What  is  true  of  tropical  bulbs  or  plants  is  equally  so  of 
tropical  seeds.  Those  who  have  not  had  experience,  or 
who  have  not  the  means  of  keeping  up  the  necessary 
high  temperature,  should  not  sow  the  seeds  of  tropical 
plants  before  April  1st.  Of  vegetable  seeds,  the  best 
known  of  this  class  are  the  Tomato,  Pepper,  and  Egg 
Plant.  I  know  they  are  often  started  in  March  in  hot- 
beds or  greenhouses  with  satisfactory  results  ;  but  let  any 
one  try  the  experiment  of  sowing  on  March  1st  and  on 
April  1st,  and  note  the  result  in  the  earliness  of  the  crops 
from  the  two  sowings,  and  he  will  find  that  the  chances 
are  that  the  last  will  be  first.  If  it  were  always  practica- 
ble to  keep  the  necessary  temperature  steadily  along,  the 
first  sown  would  be  the  first ;  but  this  is  often  very  dif- 
ficult to  accomplish,  while  there  is  but  little  difficulty 
with  the  later  sowing,  as  assistance  is  then  given  by 
the  increasing  outside  temperature.  For  this  reason 
seeds  of  tropical  annual  flowers,  such  as  Amaranths  of 
all  kinds,  Balsams,  Salvias,  Double  Portulacas,  Cannas, 
Coxcombs,  Zinnias,  etc.,  should  not  be  sown  before  April 
in  the  hot-bed,  or,  if  in  the  open  ground,  in  this  latitude, 
not  before  May  loth. 


THE   POTTIXG   OF   PLANTS.  83 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
THE  POTTING  OF  PLANTS. 

THIS  naturally  follows  the  preceding  chapter,  and  I 
will  briefly  state  a  few  of  the  most  important  points.  First 
of  all  is  soil,  or  potting  mold,  often  rather  a  troublesome 
thing  to  get  by  those  who  have  only  a  few  dozen  plants 
to  repot.  The  soil  used  by  us,  and  by  most  florists,  for 
nearly  every  plant  we  grow,  is  one  combining  freshness, 
richness,  and  what  is  called  "  f  riableness  "  of  texture.  This 
condition  we  get  by  paring  off  the  sod  from  the  roadside, 
mixing  it  with  one-third  of  well-rotted  stable  manure, 
throwing  it  in  heaps  until  it  rots,  and  turning  it  over 
two  or  three  times  until  the  whole  is  well  mixed.  If  the 
plants  are  small,  we  run  it  through  a  fine  sieve  before 
using  it :  if  large,  we  use  it  rough,  without  sifting.  But 
it  may  not  always  be  convenient  to  get  this  material,  and 
ib  is  by  no  means  indispensable  to  success.  Leaf  mold 
from  the  woods,  mixed  with  any  fresh  field  loam,  and  a 
litth  rotted  stable  manure,  will  answer  nearly  as  well ; 
or  city  folks  can  get  sweepings  from  the  pavements,  and 
these,  mixed  in  equal  bulk  with  any  good  fresh  soil — that 
from  an  old  cultivated  garden  is  not  usually  so  good — 
will  make  a  potting  soil  in  which  almost  any  plant  will 
grow  vigorously.  Small  lots  of  potting  soil  had  best  be 
got  from  the  nearest  florist. 

Now,  having  the  soil  in  proper  condition,  the  next 
tning  is  the  pots,  which,  if  they  are  not  new,  should  be 
thoroughly  washed,  so  that  the  evaporation  of  moisture 
will  take  place  freely  through  the  porous  sides.  One  of 
the  most  common  errors  among  amateur  cultivators  is  to 
put  their  plants  in  too  large  pots.  If  a  plant  such  as  a 
Rose  or  Geranium  is  lifted  up  out  of  the  ground  to  be 
potted,  it  should  be  placed  in  a  pot  only  large  enough  to 
allow  an  inch  or  so  of  soil  to  be  placed  below  and  around 


84  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

its  roots  ;  or,  to  make  it  better  understood,  if  the  plants 
are,  say  a  foot  high  and  a  foot  in  diameter,  they  should 
ba  pruned  back  so  that  the  diameter  v,rill  not  be  more 
than  six  or  eight  inches,  and  for  such  sized  plants  the 
pot  should  not  be  more  than  six  inches  wide  and  deep. 

The  same  rule  applies  to  plants  that  have  been  grow- 
ing in  pots.  If  the  plant  is  now  in  a  pot  three  inches  wide, 
a  proper  shift  will  be  to  one  four  or  four  and  a  half 
inches  wide  ;  if  in  a  five-inch,  shift  to  six  and  a  half  or 
seven-inch,  and  so  on.  In  taking  a  plant  out  of  a  pot 
to  place  it  in  another,  turn  it  upside  down,  with  the 
fingers  of  the  left  hand  spread  over  the  surface  of  the 
earth  or  top  of  the  ball,  and  with  the  right  hand  holding 
the  pot  by  the  bottom,  give  the  rim  a  smart  rap  on 
the  edge  of  a  board,  and  the  ball  of  earth  enveloping  the 
root  will  come  out,  just  as  a  jelly  will  out  of  a  mold.  I 
ain  particular  in  referring  to  this  simple  matter,  knowing 
that  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  ladies  to  break  the  pot 
with  a  hammer  in  their  endeavors  to  get  at  the  roots, 
although  they  would  hardly  sacrifice  a  bowl  to  get  at  the 
jelly.  In  shifting,  or  repotting,  place  a  little  soil  in  the 
bottom  of  the  pot;  then  place  in  the  ball  of  roots  exactly 
in  the  center,  which  will  leave  a  space  of  from  half  an 
inch  to  two  or  three  inches  between  this  and  the  sides  of 
the  pot,  according  to  the  size  of  plant  to  be  shifted.  To 
pack  this  space  between  the  side  of  the  pot  and  the  ball 
of  roots  with  soil,  it  is  better  to  use  a  flat  stick  with  which 
to  crowd  it  in  moderately  firm,  filling  up  the  pot  to  with- 
in an  inch  or  so  of  the  rim,  this  space  being  required  to 
enable  it  to  hold  water.  A  point  of  great  importance 
not  generally  known  in  shifting  plants,  is,  if  the  ball  of 
soil  surrounding  the  roots  is  hard  or  encrusted,  to  beat 
around  it  gently  with  a  light  piece  of  wood,  so  as  to 
loosen  the  outer  crust.  If  this  is  not  done  there  is  some 
danger  of  it  getting  too  dry,  as  the  water  cannot  so  easily 
penetrate  the  hard  ball  of  roots  and  earth  as  it  can  the 


WINTER-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  85 

loose  soil  in  which  it  is  being  potted.  The  same  rule 
applies  to  all  pot-bound  plants  when  planted  in  the  open 
ground.  Beat  the  ball  gently  or  squeeze  it  with  the  hand, 
so  as  to  give  the  roots  a  better  chance  to  start  out  into  Jie 
fresh  soil.  After  potting,  give  a  good  watering  with  a 
sprinkler  to  settle  the  soil  to  the  bottom  of  the  pot ;  but 
after  this  be  sparing  of  water  until  the  plant  shows  signs 
of  new  growth,  which  will  take  place  simultaneously 
with  its  making  roots  in  the  fresh  soil.  We  usually 
use  no  potsherds  or  drainage  until  they  reach  the  size 
of  five  inches  in  diameter ;  but  after  that  size,  particu- 
larly if  the  plants  are  to  be  grown  in  the  winter  months, 
when  plants  are  to  be  shifted,  one-fourth  of  the  depth 
of  the  pot  is  filled  with  broken  pots,  charcoal,  or  broken 
oyster  shells,  placing  the  largest  pieces  at  the  bottom, 
and  covering  up  with  the  finer  portions  at  the  top.  Over 
this  drainage  it  is  all  important  to  place  some  material 
lhat  will  prevent  the  soil  from  being  washed  into  the 
drainage  and  choking  it  up.  By  far  the  best  thing  we 
find  is  waste  cocoa-nut  fiber,  or  the  new  packing  material 
known  as  "  excelsior.  "  We  ourselves  now  use  a  wad  of  the 
"  excelsior  "  as  drainage  for  all  pots  under  seven  inches, 
and  nothing  else,  dispensing  entirely  with  potsherds. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 
WINTER-FLOWERING  PLANTS. 

THE  increase  in  the  taste  for  winter-flowering  plants, 
within  the  past  few  years,  has  been  even  more  positive 
than  that  for  the  cultivation  of  plants  out  of  doors. 
Formerly  it  was  rare  for  florists  to  fill  an  order  in  the  fall; 
but  now,  during  the  months  of  October,  'November, 
and  December,  they  make  shipments  daily  in  large 
quantities  to  every  section  of  the  country  ;  and  these 
nearly  equaling  in  number  those  of  plants  for  *be  open 


86  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

ground  in  May  and  June.  The  plants  best  suited  for 
flowering  in  winter  may  be  divided  into  two  classes. 
First,  those  requiring  a  moderate  temperature  at  night, 
say  an  average  of  fifty  degrees.  In  nearly  all  cases  where 
reference  is  made  to  "  night  temperature,"  it  will  be  un- 
derstood that  the  "day  temperature"  should  be  ten  to 
fifteen  degrees  higher.  This  is  to  imitate,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, the  conditions  found  for  the  best  growth  in  the 
natural  temperature  in  the  open  air.  Thus,  we  find  in 
this  section  of  the  country,  that  in  the  open  air  we  get 
the  most  vigorous  growth  (in  plants  that  are  natives 
of  temperate  latitudes)  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the 
middle  of  June,  and  from  the  middle  of  September  to 
the  middle  of  October.  For  most  plants  (such  as  Roses, 
Carnations,  Geraniums,  etc.)  the  average  temperature 
of  night  and  day  should  be  between  sixty-five  and  sev- 
enty degrees,  or  fifty  at  night  with  fifteen  degrees  higher 
in  the  daytime.  Temperature  is  always  taken  by  having 
the  thermometer  hung  in  the  shade  ;  for  if  exposed  to 
sunlight  it  will  run  sometimes  fifteen  to  twenty  degrees 
higher,  which  would  be  deceptive.  Whether  the  plants 
are  grown  in  the  parlor  or  sitting-room  of  a  private 
dwelling,  or  in  a  greenhouse  specially  constructed  for 
their  culture,  the  conditions  should  be  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible the  same ;  that  is,  uniformity  of  temperature 
ranging  from  forty-five  to  fifty-five  degrees  at  night,  and 
an  avoidance  of  a  dry  atmosphere.  It  is  easy  enough  in 
the  greenhouse  to  get  a  properly  humid  atmosphere  by 
sprinkling  the  paths  with  water  ;  but  in  a  room  in  the 
dwelling  house,  the  only  thing  that  can  be  done  is  to 
place  pans  of  water  on  the  stove,  furnace,  or  whatever 
may  be  the  source  of  heat.  If  plants  are  kept  in  a  sit- 
ting-room or  parlor,  an  east,  southeast,  or  south  aspect 
should  be  chosen.  Plants  of  the  class  that  may  be  grown 
at  an  average  temperature  of  fifty  degrees  at  night  are  Aza- 
leas, Abutilons,  Ageratums,Carnations, Cinerarias,  Catalo- 
nian  Jessamines,  Cape  Jessamines,  Camellias,  Callas,  Cho- 


WINTEK-FLOWEBIXG    PLANTS.  87 

rizemas,  Geraniums  of  all  kinds,  Hibiscus,  Hyacinths, 
Myrsiphyllum  (Srnilax),  Mahernias,  Primulas,  Stevias, 
Roses,  Violets,  and  the  various  kinds  known  as  green- 
house plants,  which,  together  with  those  above  named, 
can  be  found  fully  described  in  the  florists'  catalogues. 

The  second  class,  or  hot-house  plants,  require  an  aver- 
age temperature  of  sixty  degrees  at  night,  the  range  of 
which,  however,  may  occasionally  run  from  fifty-five  to 
sixty-five  degrees  without  injury.  Of  these  we  name  the 
following :  Begonias,  Bouvardias,  Clerodendrons,  Eu- 
phorbias, Epiphyllums, Fuchsias,  Heliotropes,  Poinsettias, 
Roses  (these  will  do  in  either  temperature,  though  rather 
better  in  the  lower),  Tuberoses,  etc.  For  farther  lists 
and  descriptions  of  varieties,  reference  may  be  made  to 
the  catalogues.  The  necessity  for  this  difference  iu  tem- 
perature is  not  absolute,  as  many  plants  will  do  very  well 
in  either  ;  but  we  make  this  distinction  as  a  guide  to 
those  having  a  choice  of  temperature,  in  order  that  they 
may  select  the  plants  that  are  best  adapted  to  the  one  at 
command.  In  a  greenhouse,  particularly  if  heated  by  a 
flue,  there  is  often  a  difference  of  five  or  ten  degrees  be- 
tween one  end  and  the  other ;  and  in  such  a  case  the 
plants  named  in  the  first  class  must  be  placed  at  the 
cool  end,  and  those  of  the  second  class  at  the  other. 

One  of  the  most  troublesome  pests  of  plants  grown  in 
the  greenhouse  or  the  sitting-room  in  winter  is  the  aphis, 
or  "green  fly,"  as  it  is  termed.  We  have  no  difficulty  in 
getting  rid  of  it  in  the  greenhouse,  when  it  is  separate 
from  the  dwelling  ;  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  get  some  to- 
bacco stems  (such  as  are  thrown  out  as  refuse  by  cigar 
makers),  and  sprinkle  them  with  water,  so  that  they 
become  slightly  damp.  About  half  a  pound  or  so  for 
a  greenhouse  twenty-five  by  twenty  feet  is  placed  over  a 
small  handful  of  shavings,  only  enough  to  light  the 
dampened  tobacco,  as  too  many  shavings  might  injure 
the  plants  by  smoke.  The  burned  tobacco  stems  give 


88  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

out  a  smoke  that  is  quickly  fatal  to  the  "  green  fly."  To 
thoroughly  prevent  the  least  appearance  of  this  insect, 
the  greenhouse  must  be  fumigated  every  four  or  five 
days.  We  fumigate  all  our  greenhouses  twice  each  week 
during  the  winter,  and  dust  the  leaves  with  tobacco 
dust  after  syringing  in  summer  ;  our  rule  being  that  an 
aphis  must  never  be  seen  upon  any  plant  in  the  houses. 
If  the  greenhouse  is  attached  to  the  dwelling,  so  that 
the  tobacco  smoke  would  find  its  way  into  the  rooms, 
recourse  may  be  had  to  another  remedy  :  take  the  same 
waste  tobacco  stems,  and  steep  them  in  water  until  the 
liquid  is  of  the  color  of  strong  tea.  With  this  water 
syringe  the  plants  freely  twice  a  week.  Another  plan  is 
to  sprinkle  the  leaves  with  water,  and  then  shake  snuff 
or  tobacco  dust  over  them.  This  will  not  only  ef- 
fectually destroy  the  green  fly,  but  will  keep  in  check 
many  other  insects  that  infest  plants.  Where  only  a  few 
plants  are  kept  in  rooms,  the  easiest  way  is  to  dip  the 
plants  entirely  in  the  tobacco  water,  moving  them  up 
and  down  in  the  liquid,  to  wash  the  insects  off  if  they 
have  a  firm  hold. 

The  "red  spider"  is  another  pest  to  winter-blooming 
plants,  even  worse  than  the  aphis,  and  wherever  it  is  seen 
you  maybe  certain  that  the  atmosphere  has  been  too  dry, 
and  very  likely  the  temperature  too  hot,  as  it  is  rarely 
found  in  a  cool,  damp  atmosphere.  The  treatment  for 
this  insect  in  the  greenhouse  is  copious  syringings  with 
water;  but  where  only  a  few  plants  are  grown  in  the  house 
it  is  best  to  go  over  the  leaves,  especially  on  the  under 
side,  with  a  wet  sponge  or  a  brush.  The  red  spider  is  so 
minute  that  it  is  hardly  distinguishable  by  the  naked  eye, 
but  its  destructive  effects  are  quickly  perceivable,  as  the 
leaves  upon  which  it  works  soon  become  brown,  and  if 
the  leaves  are  closely  examined,  particularly  the  under 
sido,  the  minute  insect  will  be  seen  in  great  numbers. 

Another  troublesome  insect  among  plants  that  are 


WINTER-FLOWERING   PLANTS.  89 

grown  in  a  high  temperature  is  the  "  mealy  bug."  The 
insect  is  flat,  and  whitish  brown,  usually  nestling  at  the 
axils  of  the  leaves,  where  it  is  covered  with  a  white  pow- 
der, making  it  easily  distinguishable.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  annoying  of  all  insects  that  attack  plants,  and  until 
a  few  years  ago  no  certain  remedy  was  known  ;  but  we 
have  now  in  "  Fir  Tree  Oil,"  mixed  in  the  proportion  of 
one  pint  to  ten  gallons  of  water,  and  syringed  on  once  a 
week,  a  certain  remedy  against  mealy  bug,  scale,  red 
spider,  and,  in  fact,  nearly  all  insect  life.  The  use  of  it 
must  be  continued  once  each  week,  or  the  remedy  will  not 
be  effectual.  Where  only  a  few  plants  are  grown  the 
same  remedy  can  be  applied  with  a  soft  brush  or  sponge 
on  the  leaves.  Another  pest,  not  an  insect,  but  a  vege- 
table parasitic  growth  known  as  mildew,  affects  but  few 
plants  in-doors  except  the  Kose.  (For  remedies  see  chap- 
ter on  Insects  and  Mildew.) 

The  amateur  is  warned  against  the  common  practice 
of  placing  plants  in  too  large  pots.  As  a  general  thing, 
when  plants  are  received  from  the  florist  they  are  with- 
out pots,  and  are  usually  in  a  condition  requiring  them 
to  be  shifted  into  a  pot  larger  than  they  have  been  grow- 
ing in.  For  example,  if  they  have  been  grown  in  a 
pot  of  three  inches  diameter,  place  them  in  one  a  size 
larger,  or  four  inches  in  diameter  ;  if  they  were  in  four- 
inch  pots,  give  them  one  five  or  six  inches  across,  and  so 
on.  Florists,  as  a  rule,  do  not  practice  crocking  or  drain- 
ing pots  until  the  pots  get  to  a  size  over  four  inches,  and 
often  not  then,  because,  having  pots  of  all  sizes  on  hand, 
they  do  not  need  to  give  plants  any  larger  shift  than  nec- 
essary, and  hence  there  is  less  need  for  drainage  ;  but 
often  the  amateur  has  to  change  a  plant  that  has  been 
grown  in  a  pot  of  three  inches  diameter  into  one  of  six 
inches,  and  then  it  is  necessary  to  fill  up  one-third  of  this 
too  large  pot  with  broken  pots,  charcoal,  or  some  such  ma- 
terial, to  drain  off  the  surplus  moisture  that  would  other- 


90  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

wise  be  injurious,  in  consequence  of  the  pot  being  too 
large  for  the  plant ;  but  if  the  pot  into  which  it  is  shifted 
is  properly  adjusted  to  the  wants  of  the  plant,  the  put- 
ting in  of  crocks  for  drainage  may  be  dispensed  with. 
The  need  of  a  larger  pot  is  shown  by  the  eurth  becoming 
so  filled  with  roots  that  they  well  cover  the  outside  of  the 
ball ;  but  shifting  into  a  larger  pot  should  be  done  while 
the  roots  are  yet  white.  If  left  until  the  roots  get  thor- 
oughly matted,  brown,  and  hard,  it  is  too  late,  and  the 
future  growth  will  be  seriously  retarded.  If  the  plant 
has  been  allowed  to  reach  this  condition,  which  we  call 
'•  pot  bound,"  it  is  best  to  lay  the  ball  of  roots  on  one 
hand  and  slap  it  smartly,  so  as  to  loosen  it.  By  this  treat- 
ment the  new  fibers  strike  out  more  readily  from  the 
hard  roots  than  if  left  with  the  ball  still  compact.  After 
lifting  a  plant,  give  it  one  good  watering,  so  that  the 
soil  will  be  thoroughly  soaked  to  the  bottom  of  the  pot ; 
but  after  that,  keep  rather  dry  until  there  are  indications 
of  new  growth.  (For  manner  of  potting,  see  chapter  on 
"  The  Potting  of  Plants.")  We  are  often  asked  as  to  the 
use  of  guano  and  other  fertilizers  on  in-door  plants.  As 
-  general  thing  we  use  none  in  our  own  practice,  prefer- 
ring to  shift  the  plants  into  fresh  soil  at  the  proper  time 
rather  than  to  do  so,  and  we  would  ad  vise  the  same  to  our 
friends  of  less  experience,  for  the  use  of  all  such  stimu- 
lants is,  under  certain  conditions  of  the  plants,  danger- 
ous in  unpracticed  hands.  When  it  is  inconvenient  to 
shift  winter-flowering  plants  into  larger  pots,  they  will 
be  greatly  benefited  by  stirring  up  the  soil  on  the  surface 
of  the  pots  to  the  depth  of  an  inch  or  so,  or  down  to 
where  the  young  roots  appear,  taking  care  not  to  disturb 
these  too  much.  Throw  away  the  ofd  soil,  and  replace  by 
rich,  fresh  soil,  in  which  one-twentieth  part  may  be 
bone  dust.  This  is  called  "top  dressing."  The  various 
kinds  of  bulbs  used  for  winter  flowering  are  fully  detailed 
under  their  separate  kinds.  (See  Bulb  Forcing.) 


WINTER-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  91 

GARDEN    CULTURE   OF   THE   ROSE. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  questions  that  the  florist  has 
to  answer  to  his  customers  is  what  kinds  of  Roses  are  the 
most  suitable  to  plant.  If  in  a  section  of  the  country 
where  there  are  only  slight  frosts,  and  the  thermometer 
never  falls  lower  than  twenty  or  twenty-five  degrees  above 
zero,  then  the  Tea,  Bourbon,  Bengal,  and  Noisette,  all 
of  which  are  evergreen  and  ever- bloom  ing,  should  alone 
be  grown,  as  they  will  all  stand  over  the  winter  in  such  a 
temperature.  The  so-called  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses, 
which  are  hardy  in  the  Northern  States,  do  but  little 
good  in  such  climates  as  that  of  South  Carolina,  Louisi- 
ana, or  Florida,  for  the  reason  that,  being  deciduous — that 
is,  they  lose  their  leaves  in  winter — the  warm  climate 
denies  them  the  rest  their  nature  requires,  and,  conse- 
quently, they  either  die  outright  or  continue  a  feeble 
existence.  It  is  not  easy  to  draw  the  line  at  which  these 
Roses  fail,  or  where  they  succeed.  As  a  rule,  it  may  be 
said,  that  the  hotter  the  climate  the  more  unsatisfactory 
they  will  be.  At  the  North,  again,  we  are  met  by  the 
difficulty  that  nearly  all  the  Monthly  Roses  are  too  tender 
to  stand  our  winters,  where  the  thermometer  reaches 
zero. 

An  old  German  florist,  in  reciting  his  tribulations  on 
this  subject  to  me  a  few  years  ago,  said:  "I  haf  so 
mooch  trouble  with  de  ladies  when  dey  come  to  buy 
mine  Rose.  Dey  all  wants  him  hardy,  dey  wants  him 
dooble,  dey  wants  him  nice  goolor,  dey  wants  him  nice 
shape,  dey  wants  him  fragrant,  dey  wants  him  moondly, 
dey  wants  him  to  be  everydings  in  one  Rose.  Now  I 
haf  to  say  to  dem  ladies,  though  not  what  you  call  an 
ungallant  man,  I  say,  dat  I  sees  not  dat  lady  dat  is 
rich,  dat  is  young,  dat  is  good  demper,  dat  is  beauti- 
ful, dat  is  healdy,  dat  is  smart,  dat  is  everydings  in  one 
lady.  I  sees  her  not  mooch." 


92  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

This  was  true  of  the  Roses  when  my  old  German  friend 
told  of  his  troubles,  but  since  then  we  have  been  fortu- 
nate in  getting  a  new  class  of  Roses  known  as  the 

HYBRID    TEAS, 

all  of  which,  by  covering  with  four  inches  of  leaves  put 
on  in  December  around  the  roots,  prove  perfectly  hardy 
in  most  of  the  Northern  States,  besides  being  all  monthly, 
all  double,  all  fragrant,  and  all  of  fine  form.  These  now 
comprise  many  fine  kinds,  among  which  are  : 

Dinsmore,  bright  scarlet  crimson,  splendid  form. 

Ball  of  Snow,  pure  snow  white,  fragrant. 

La  France,  deep  pink,  shading  to  light  rose,  splendid. 

American  Beauty,  ric-h  light  crimson,  grand  form, 
large  size,  and  exceeding  all  other  Roses  in  its  delightful 
odor. 

Lady  Mary  Fitzivilliam,  rosy  blush,  globular,  large. 

Pierre  Guillot,  very  dark  crimson. 

Thus  far  there  are  no  Roses  having  a  yellow  tinge  that 
are  hardy,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  there  ever  will  be  a  yellow 
monthly  Rose  sufficiently  hardy  for  the  Northern  States. 

MONTHLY   OE  TEA    ROSES. 

The  class  best  adapted  for  sections  of  the  country 
where  the  thermometer  never  falls  below  twenty  degrees 
above  zero,  is  yet  extensively  grown  in  the  summer 
season  in  all  the  Northern  States,  for  the  reason  that 
in  it  we  have  not  only  a  distinct  and  delicious  tea  fra- 
grance, but  a  far  greater  range  of  color  than  is  found  in 
either  the  hardy  Hybrid  Tea  or  Hybrid  Perpetual  class  ; 
for  in  these  the  colors  only  range  through  shades  of 
white  to  crimson,  while  in  the  Tea  or  Monthly  class 
we  have  all  shades  of  yellow,  copper-color,  and  orange, 
besides  all  the  colors  embraced  in  the  hardy  sorts.  More- 
over, the  Tea  class  of  Roses  gives  greater  profusion  of 


WINTER-FLOWERING   PLANTS.  93 

bloom,  and  is  easier  propagated  ;  consequently  the  plants 
are  now  sold  so  cheap  that  many  plant  beds  of  them  for 
their  value  for  summer  flowers  only. 

HYBRID   PERPETUAL   ROSES. 

This  name  is  certainly  misleading  when  the  plants  are 
grown  in  our  hot  and  dry  summers,  for  they  really  give 
only  one  good  bloom  in  June  with  us,  though  in  the 
cool  and  moist  climate  of  Great  Britain  many  of  the 
kinds  bloom  nearly  the  entire  season.  Individually  this 
is  by  far  the  finest  class  of  Roses.  The  flowers  are  of 
the  largest  size,  and  nearly  all  have  the  delicious  fra- 
grance peculiar  to  the  old  Moss  and  Damask  Roses. 
The  size  of  many  of  them  is  immense,  often  five  inches 
in  diameter.  All  are  hardy,  requiring  no  care  after  plant- 
ing ;  but,  as  has  been  said,  most  of  them  bloom  only 
once,  and  hence  are  not  so  satisfactory  in  this  respect 
for  our  climate  as  the  ever-blooming  sorts. 

SOIL   AND    CULTURE    OF   ROSES    IX   THE    GARDEN. 

Like  nearly  all  other  plants,  Roses  delight  in  deep, 
rich,  well-drained  land.  (See  Chapter  on  Soils.)  When 
a  bed  of  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses  is  to  be  planted,  the 
soil  should  be  dug  to  the  depth  of  at  least  one  foot,  and 
well  mixed  with  a  coating  of  two  or  three  inches  of  rotted 
cow  manure.  In  the  absence  of  that,  sow  bone  dust  on 
the  surface  just  thick  enough  to  cover  it,  or  about 
half  a  pound  to  a  square  yard,  and  mix  to  the  depth 
of  a  foot  with  the  soil.  If  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses 
are  to  be  set  out  for  a  permanent  bed,  plant  from  eigh- 
teen to  twenty  inches  each  way ;  if  Hybrid  Teas,  from 
fourteen  to  sixteen  inches  ;  and  if  Monthly  or  Teas,  about 
twelve  inches.  The  Hybrid  Perpetual  and  Tea  Roses 
require  to  be  pruned  like  any  other  hardy  shrub.  Cut 


94  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

the  young  wood,  any  time  after  the  leaves  have  dropped, 
back  to  two  or  five  eyes,  regulating  it  according  to  the 
strength  of  the  shoot,  the  weaker  shoots  being  cut  to  two 
or  three  eyes,  the  stronger  to  four  or  five,  shaping  the 
bush  so  as  to  get  it  into  good  form.  The  Monthly  or 
Tea  Roses  require  but  little  pinning  except  to  thin  out 
the  "  blind"  or  old  wood,  or  topping  by  pinching  out  the 
center  of  any  shoot  that  is  growing  too  luxuriantly,  so 
as  to  keep  the  plant  in  good  shape. 

ROSE   GROWING   IN   WINTER 

is  now  such  an  important  part  of  floriculture  that  hun- 
dreds of  acres  of  greenhouses  in  the  vicinity  of  all  our 
large  cities  are  specially  erected  for  and  devoted  to  the 
culture  and  production  of  buds  during  the  fall,  winter, 
and  spring  months.  To  describe  the  various  modes  of 
culture  in  all  their  details  would  take  more  space  than 
can  be  afforded  for  it  in  "  Gardening  for  Pleasure,"  and 
to  such  as  desire  to  go  into  Rose-growing  as  a  business,  I 
refer  to  my  new  edition  of  "Practical  Floriculture." 
For  amateur  readers  I  will  here  detail  a  few  brief  in- 
structions. 

When  a  few  dozen  plants  of  Roses  only  are  to  be  grown, 
it  is  perhaps  best  to  grow  them  in  pots.  They  can  be 
procured  from  any  of  the  florists  who  make  a  business 
of  growing  Roses  for  winter,  in  September,  October,  or 
November,  at  a  cost  of  from  four  to  six  dollars  per  dozen, 
for  such  plants  as  arc  grown  in  five  or  six-inch  pots, 
and  average  from  ten  to  fifteen  inches  in  hight.  These 
are  usually  in  a  condition  to  shift  into  larger  pots.  If  in 
a  five-inch  they  should  be  shifted  into  a  seven-inch,  and 
in  like  proportion  according  to  size  of  pots  or  plants, 
care  being  taken  to  thoroughly  drain  the  pots,  as  it  is 
impossible  to  get  good  results  from  Roses  in  winter  unless 
the  water  can  pass  through  the  soil  freely.  If  to  be 


WINTER-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  S5 

grown  on  a  large  scale,  then  the  plan  used  by  florists 
to  set  the  plants  out  on  raised  benches  should  be  used. 
When  to  be  grown  on  benches,  they  should  be  planted  in 
July,  August,  or  September,  and  if  wanted  in  quantity 
can  always  be  obtained  from  the  rose-growers  at  the 
wholesale  rates,  which  run  from  twenty  to  thirty  dollars 
per  hundred,  according  to  size  and  variety. 

SOIL    AND    BENCHES. 

The  soil  in  which  the  Eoses  are  to  be  grown  should  not 
exceed  five  inches  in  depth,  the  boards  being  so  arranged 
as  to  allow  free  drainage  for  the  water.  Perhaps  the  best 
way  to  make  the  bottom  of  the  bench  is  to  use  wall  strips 
or  other  boards,  not  to  exceed  four  inches  wide,  leaving  a 
space  of  at  least  half  an  inch  between  the  boards  or  strips, 
so  as  to  make  certain  of  perfect  drainage.  The  bottom 
is  first  covered  with  thin  sods,  grass  side  down,  or  what, 
in  our  opinion,  is  better,  the  new  packing  material  called 
"Excelsior,"  and  then  the  soil  is  placed  on  to  the  depth 
of  four  inches.  This  soil  is  made  from  sods  cut  three  or 
four  inches  thick  from  any  good,  loamy  pasture  land, 
well  chopped  up,  and  mixed  with  one-fourth  of  well- 
rotted  cow  dung  to  three-fourths  of  sods.  In  our  own 
practice  we  use,  in  addition  to  the  cow  manure,  one- 
thirtieth  part  of  pure  bone  dust.  It  is  perhaps  best  to 
let  the  sod  be  well  rotted  before  it  is  used,  although,  if 
this  be  not  convenient,  it  will  do  fresh,  if  well  chopped 
up.  Of  late  years  we  have  used  the  Acme  harrow  to 
break  and  mix  up  with  the  manure  all  soil  used  for 
Koses,  at  a  saving  of  three-fourths  of  the  labor. 

DISTANCE   TO   PLANT. 

The  distance  for  Roses  such  as  I  describe  (those  that 
have  been  grown  in  six-inch  pots,  and  averaging  one  foot 


96  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

high)  should  be  one  foo  teach  way,  so  as  to  get  the  full 
benefit  tff  a  crop  by  January.  It  is  true  that,  if  planted 
twice  that  distance,  they  would  be  thick  enough  before 
bearing ;  but  they  will  not  £ II  up  sufficiently  until  the 
middle  of  January,  if  planted  much  wider  than  one  foot, 
and  it  is  always  before  that  date  that  Roses  are  highest  in 
price.  The  temperature  at  which  Roses  are  grown  in 
winter  is  an  average  of  fifty-five  degrees  at  night,  with 
ten  to  fifteen  degrees  higher  during  the  day.  Conse- 
quently, if  heated  by  hot  water,  in  this  latitude,  a  house 
twenty  feet  wide  will  require  eight  runs  of  four-inch  pipe 
to  maintain  that  heat ;  if  sixteen  feet  wide,  about  six 
runs  ;  and  if  twelve  feet  wide,  about  four  runs.  If  heated 
by  steam,  a  one-and-a-half-inch  pipe  will  be  about  equal 
to  a  four-inch  hot-water  pipe. 

VENTILATION 

is  an  important  matter.  In  a  Rose  house  twenty  feet 
wide,  sufficient  ventilation  will  be  obtained  by  having 
lifting  sashes,  to  the  width  of  thirty  inches,  placed  along 
the  whole  of  the  roof  on  the  south  side,  hinging  them  so 
that  they  will  open  at  the  ridge  pole.  For  this  purpose 
the  patent  ventilating  apparatus  should  be  used,  which 
costs  from  sixty  to  seventy  cents  per  running  foot. 

WATERING   AND   MULCHING. 

Watering  is  a  matter  of  the  first  importance,  and  re- 
quires some  experience  to  know  what  is  the  proper  con- 
dition. It  is  not  often  that  Roses  require  to  be  watered. 
The  heavy  syringing  necessary  each  forenoon  in  clear 
weather  to  keep  down  red  spider  is  generally  sufficient  to 
keep  them  in  the  proper  condition  of  moisture  ;  of  course, 
good  judgment  must  be  used  to  syringe  heavier  in  warm, 
bright  weather,  when  the  plants  are  in  vigorous  growth, 
than  in  dull  weather,  or  when  the  plants  are  not  so  vigor- 


•VriNTEU-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  97 

OTIS.  Better  to  err  on  the  side  of  dryness,  particularly 
from  October  to  March.  Whenever  there  are  indications 
of  the  soil  being  too  wet,  stop  syringing,  but  keep  the 
air  of  the  house  moist  by  watering  the  paths.  The  best 
growers  now  use  very  little  mulching  until  the  days  begin 
to  lengthen  in  February  or  March,  the  "food"  given 
being  usually  a  top  dressing  every  three  or  four  weeks, 
from  October  to  February,  of  half  an  inch  of  compost, 
consisting  of  two  parts  of  well-rotted  cow  dung  to  one 
part  fresh  soil,  to  which  is  added  about  one-tenth  part 
of  pure  bone  dust.  Frequent  light  stirring  of  the  soil 
is  of  advantage  to  admit  air  to  the  roots  and  assist  the 
evaporation  of  moisture  from  the  soil. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  value  of 
liquid  manure  in  Rose  forcing  in  winter.  In  our  experi- 
ence we  have  found  that  it  had  better  not  be  used  on 
Roses  growing  on  the  benches  or  in  pots  until  about 
February  1st,  when  the  days  begin  to  lengthen  and  the 
sun  becomes  brighter.  In  the  case  of  Hybrid  Perpetual 
Roses  growing  in  pots,  that  have  been  started  from  dried 
off  or  rested  plants  about  October  1st,  which  should  come 
into  bloom  during  December  and  January,  it  is  well  to 
water  such  plants  once  a  week  with  liquid  manure,  so  as 
to  get  the  best  development  in  color  and  size  of  buds. 
"We  prefer  liquid  manure  from  cow  dung  to  all  else.  It 
is  perfectly  safe,  no  matter  how  strong  it  is  made,  and  we 
think  it  is  more  lasting  in  its  effects  than  liquid  made 
from  guano  or  similar  fertilizers.  Fumigating  with 
tobacco  smoke  for  the  suppression  of  the  Aphis  (green 
fly)  should  be  done  twice  a  week  ;  or,  what  will  answer 
equally  well,  a  mulch  of  two  or  three  inches  of  tobacco 
stems  spread  on  the  walks  or  under  the  benches,  will 
keep  off  the  green  fly  if  renewed  every  five  or  six  weeks. 
Rose  growers  practice  this  method  now  almost  entirely. 
It  is  quite  as  effective  as  fumigating,  and  safer,  as  that 
more  or  less  discolors  the  buds. 


$8  GARDENING   POR   PLEASURE. 

PRUNING. 

But  little  pruning  is  done  to  Tea  Eoses  until  they 
begin  to  get  too  thick  towards  spring.  The  "  blind- 
wood  "  should  then  be  gradually  and  judiciously  thinned 
out,  care  being  taken  not  to  cut  too  much  off  at  once,  as 
that  would  be  certain  to  more  or  less  check  the  vitality 
of  the  plant  by  gorging  the  rootlets  with  water  ;  hence, 
after  pruning,  for  a  few  days  water  sparingly. 

TEA   ROSES;   VARIETIES  TO   FORCE. 

The  varieties  grown  are  changing  every  season,  and  no 
list  we  can  give  to-day  is  likely  to  remain  as  the  best  ten 
years  hence.  The  favorite  Tea  Roses  now  grown  for 
winter  are  Perle  des  Jardins  (yellow),  Sunset  (orange), 
Papa  Gontier  (carmine),  Niphetos  (white),  Catherine 
Mermet  (rosy  pink),  Souvenir  d'un  Ami  (delicate  peach 
color),  Cornelia  Cook  (white),  Marshal  Robert  (pale  yel- 
low), Madame  Cusin  (pink),  Bon  Silene  (carmine), 
The  Bride  (white),  William  Francis  Bennett  (crimson), 
American  Beauty  (light  crimson),  La  France  (rich  peach 
color),  The  Puritan  (white),  and  Meteor  (scarlet  crim- 
son). The  last  five  are  "  Hybrid "  Teas,  but  they  are 
usually  grown  as  Teas. 

Of  Climbing  Roses,  which  are  grown  on  the  rafters 
of  the  greenhouse,  Marechal  Niel  (yellow),  Lamarque 
(white),  Gloire  de  Dijon  (salmon  rose),  Red  Gloire  de 
Dijon  (carmine),  and  the  new  Waltham  Climber  (deep 
crimson),  are  the  best.  This  last  has  not  yet  been  largely 
tested,  but  in  all  probability  it  will  supply  a  want  long 
felt.  It  is  a  double  Rose  of  fine  form  and  of  exquisite 
crimson  color,  equal  in  nearly  all  respects  to  our  finest 
Hybrid  Perpetuals ;  all  dark  Roses  that  we  have  hitherto 
had  in  climbers  being  shy  bloomers  with  inferior  flowers. 
Unfortunately,  none  of  the  Climbing  Roses  that  are  used 


WINTER-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  99 

in  the  greenhouse  for  winter  flowering  are  hardy  enough 
to  stand  our  winters  in  the  Northern  States,  though 
most  of  them  prove  hardy  south  of  Richmond. 

The  Hybrid  Perpetual  class  of  Eoses  are  less  grown  by 
amateurs  than  the  Teas,  and  if  wanted  in  midwinter  require 
special  treatment,  which  our  space  here  will  not  admit 
being  given,  but  which  is  contained  at  length  in  "Practical 
Floriculture."  The  varieties  of  Hybrid  Perpetuals  best 
adapted  for  early  forcing  are  :  Anne  de  Diesbach  (rich 
pink),  Countess  of  Oxford  (very  large,  soft,  rosy  carmine), 
Magna  Charta  (splendid  bright  pink),  Mad.  Gabriel 
Luizet  (light  pink,  splendid),  Paul  Neyron  (immense 
size,  dark  pink),  Baroness  Rothschild  (rich  shade  of  rose), 
Rosy  Morn  (cherry  rose,  large  and  full),  Merveille  de 
Lyon  (pure  white,  other  characteristics  same  as  Bar- 
oness Rothschild),  Anne  Alexis  (dark  pink),  General 
Jacqueminot  (crimson),  Princess  C.  de  Rohan  (crimson, 
almost  black),  Dinsmore  (crimson  scarlet),  Marquis  de 
Castellaine  (brilliant  pinkish  carmine),  Pride  of  Wal- 
tham  (peach  color),  Mrs.  Laing  (light  shade  of  rose  color). 

MILDEW. 

Roses,  when  grown  under  glass,  with  proper  attention 
to  temperature  and  moisture,  are  not  usually  attacked  by 
Mildew  ;  but,  as  a  preventive,  it  is  well  to  paint  the  hot- 
water  pipes  once  every  two  or  three  weeks  with  a  mixture 
of  sulphur  and  lime  or  sulphur  and  guano,  made  of  the 
consistence  of  whitewash  (the  guano  or  lime  is  simply  to 
make  the  sulphur  stick  better  to  the  pipes).  We  also 
use  this  mixture  of  sulphur  on  our  steam  pipes,  but  only 
on  about  one-sixth  of  the  surface.  If  the  whole  pipe 
were  covered,  as  in  the  hot-water  pipe,  the  fumes  would 
be  strong  enough  to  hurt  the  plants.  The  fumes  of 
sulphur,  as  diffused  by  the  heated  pipes,  is  a  never- 
failing  means  of  destroying  the  germs  of  Mildew  or 


100  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

any  other  fungoid  growth,  and  also  holds  in  check, 
to  some  extent,  the  red  spider,  an  insect  often  so 
troublesome  to  the  Rose.  In  the  summer,  or  at  any 
season  of  the  year  \\hen  no  fire  is  used,  it  is  well  to 
dust  the  foliage  lightly  with  a  mixture  of  sulphur  and 
tobacco  dust  once  a  week,  after  the  leaves  have  been  wet 
by  syringing  or  watering,  so  as  to  kill  the  aphis  or  green 
fly  and  prevent  mildew  at  the  same  time. 

THE    ROSE-BUG    OF    THE    GREENHOUSE. 

For  the  Rose-bug  (Aramigus  Fulleri),  so  detrimental 
to  success  in  Rose  growing  under  glass,  there  seems  no 
sure  remedy  except  the  slow  one  of  catching  and  killing 
the  insect  as  soon  as  it  is  seen  on  the  leaves.  It  is  not 
easily  observed,  as  it  gets  under  the  leaves  and  close  to 
the  shoots  of  the  plants.  Its  presence  is  known  by  the 
bitten  leaves  showing  where  it  is  feeding.  It  will  be  un- 
derstood that  it  is  not  the  Rose-bug  in  its  perfect  state 
that  does  the  injury.  The  bug  deposits  its  eggs  close  to 
the  root  of  the  plant ;  these  quickly  hatch  into  larvae  or 
maggots,  which  at  once  begin  to  feed  on  the  roots  of  the 
Rose,  destroying  it  completely.  Many  years  ago  we 
adopted  the  plan  of  paying  our  boys  one  cent  apiece  for 
the  bugs  which  they  caught  at  their  dinner-hour,  and  by 
this  method  have  completely  kept  them  under,  so  that  to 
see  one  now  is  a  rarity.  The  perfect  bug  is  of  grayish 
color,  about  half  an  inch  in  length,  and  somewhat  of  the 
appearance  of  the  common  beetle.  Hundreds  fail  to 
succeed  in  growing  Roses  from  no  other  cause  than  that 
the  roots  of  the  plants  are  being  sapped  by  this  insidious 
pest. 

For  the  best  results  in  winter  forcing  of  the  Rose,  or,  in 
fact,  for  the  production  of  any  kind  of  fruit  or  flower 
during  the  dull  winter  months,  it  is  all  important  that 
the  greenhouse  be  such  as  to  give  the  greatest  amount  of 


WINTER-FLOWERING    PLANTS.  101 

light  possible;  for  that  reason  I  advise,  for  all  such  work, 
the  style  known  as  the  three-quarter  span,  shown  in,  fig- 
ure 58. 

ORCHID    CULTURE. 

The  t.iste  for  cultivating  Orchids  is  rapidly  increasing. 
Every  season  dozens  of  amateurs  already  possessing  green- 
houses begin  the  culture  of  Orchids.  To  be  successful, 
careful  attention  and  some  knowledge  of  the  subject  by 
actual  practice  are  necessary;  but  as  most  of  our  gardeners 
are  such  as  have  had  European  training,  nearly  all  that 
are  proficient  iu  their  business  have  a  knowledge  of 
Orchid  culture.  It  is  about  the  only  part  of  floriculture 
that  I  have  had  no  actual  practice  in,  so  that  I  am 
glad  to  avail  myself  of  the  experience  of  one  of  the  most 
successful  Orchid  growers  in  this  or  any  other  country, 
Mr.  Wm.  Gray  of  Albany,  who  kindly  has  written  the 
following  brief  instructions  : 

The  best  twelve  well-known  kinds  are,  Cattleya  Tria- 
nice,  Dendrobium  nobile,  Dendrobium  Wardianum,  Lcdia 
anceps,  Ccelogyne  cristata,  Lycaste  Skinneri,  Odonto- 
glossum  Alexandra,  Odontoglossum  Pescatorei,  Cypripe- 
dium  insigne,  Phaius  Wallichii,  Calanthe  Veitchii,  Ca- 
lanthe  vestita.  The  next  twelve  are  Cattleya  Mossice, 
Ccelogyne  ocellata,  Cypripedium  Spicerianum,  Cypripe- 
dium  villosum,  Dendrobium  crassinode,  Phaius  grandi- 
folius,  Phalcenopsis  amabilis,  Phalcenopsis  Schilleriana, 
Phalcenopsis  Stuartiana,  Vanda  ccerulea,  Vanda  San- 
deriana,  Zygopetalum  Mackayi.  (For  descriptions,  see 
Orchid  Catalogues.) 

Of  these  the  best  suited  for  growing  in  pots  are  Cati- 
leyas,  Dendrobiums,  and  Odontoglossums,  all  of  which  do 
well  in  coarse  chopped  peat,  pots  nearly  filled  with  crocks  ; 
Ccelogyne  and  Lycaste,  coarse,  sandy  peat,  with  chopped, 
half-decayed  leaves;  Cypripediums,  Phaius,  and  Zygo- 


102  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

petalums  in  peat  and  loam,  and  a  little  rotten  manure  ; 
Phalannpsis,  Vandas,  and  Lcelias  do  well  in  baskets, 
pots,  or  small  pans,  in  chopped  sphagnum  ;  the  drainage 
must  be  perfect.  Calanthes,  chopped  sods  of  sandy  loam, 
with  not  over-fine  leaf  mold.  The  plants  must  be  made 
steady  with  stakes  and  copper  wire. 

The  kinds  suited  to  grow  on  bark  or  cork,  or  other 
such  material,  are  Cattleyas,  Lcelias,  Phalcenopsis,  Von- 
das,  and  Dendrobiums.  These  all  do  well  on  blocks  of  cork, 
rafts,  cylinders,  etc.,  with  sphagnum  or  other  moss ;  but 
take  more  care,  as  they  dry  so  quickly.  A  plant  on  a  block 
will  take  water  twice  a  day  ;  the  same  in  a  basket  only 
once  in  two  days.  Blocks  can  be  hung  overhead,  and 
dipped  twice  a  day  in  hot,  dry  weather. 

The  temperature  should  be,  for  such  varieties  as  Pha- 
lcenopsis, Vandas,  Dendrobiums,  and  Cypripediums,  in 
winter,  sixty  to  sixty-five  degrees  at  night,  to  sev- 
enty-five degrees  by  day,  with  air ;  in  summer,  seventy 
degrees  at  night,  ninety  or  more  degrees  by  day,  with 
plenty  of  air  and  ventilation  at  night.  Cattleya,  Lcelia, 
Phaius,  Calanthe,  Ccelogyne,  and  Zygopetalum,  in  winter, 
fifty-five  or  sixty  degrees  at  night,  seventy  degrees  with 
sun  by  day;  in  summer,  sixty-five  degrees  at  night, 
eighty-five  degrees  by  day,  with  plenty  of  air.  Odonto- 
glossums,  in  winter,  fifty-five  degrees  at  night,  sixty-five 
degrees  by  day  ;  in  summer,  as  cool  as  they  can  be  kept. 
All  want  abundance  of  atmospheric  moisture  night  and 
day. 

Some  kinds,  such  as  PJiaicenopsis  and  Vandas,  grow 
at  all  seasons ;  Cypripediums,  Cattleyas,  and  Lcelias  in 
spring ;  Calanthe,  Ccelogyne,  Phaius,  and  Zygopetalums 
in  summer.  When  any  plant  grows  in  winter  (except 
Odontoglossums)  it  should  be  placed  in  a  warm  house. 
Odontoglossums  do  best  at  a  temperature  of  fifty-five  to 
seventy  degrees  ;  never  hotter,  if  possible. 

Cattleya  Trianice,  Lcelia  anceps,  and  Cypripfdinm  in- 


WINTER-FLOYVERIXQ    PLANTS.  103 

signe  bloom  during  the  resting  period,  which  is  from  De' 
cember  to  January.  Phalcenopsis  and  Vandas  grow  all 
the  year;  and  during  the  short  dark  days  of  fall  and 
winter  less  food  is  given  by  withholding  water.  Calan- 
the,  Cwlogyne,  and  Phaius  bloom  \\ith  the  maturity  of 
the  growth,  then  lay  dormant  until  spring. 

The  best  shading  for  an  Orchid  house,  when  ground 
glass  is  not  used,  is  canvas  raised  eighteen  inches  above 
the  roof  ;  or,  if  that  is  not  convenient,  thin  paint,  made  of 
turpentine  and  whiting  or  white  lead.  Lay  it  on  in  the 
middle  of  March  and  brush  it  off  in  the  middle  of  Octo- 
ber. Ground  glass  is  too  dark  from  October  to  March 
for  plants,  and  nothing  does  well  with  me  under  it  in 
winter.  I  use  first  quality  clear  French  glass.  When  the 
glass  is  shaded  with  canvas  it  should  be  done  from  March 
to  October,  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  except  on  cloudy  days. 

Orchids  when  grown  by  a  florist  to  pay  would  have  to  be 
grown  in  quantity,  each  species  with  a  house  to  itself ;  but 
when  grown  by  amateurs,  of  course  nearly  all  species  are 
usually  grown  in  one  house.  The  most  of  the  twenty-four 
species  named  could  be  had  in  flower  from  November  to 
April.  All  plants  with  a  tendency  to  early  maturity 
should  be  placed  at  the  warm  end  of  the  house,  or,  in  the 
fall,  partition  off  the  space  necessary  at  the  warmer  end 
for  the  most  forward.  The  plants  would  have  to  be  im- 
ported from  the  woods  at  first  cost,  when  grown  to  sell 
(established  plants  at  present  prices  would  be  too  expen- 
sive), and  the  flowers  sold  cheap  to  become  popular. 
Orchid  growing  to-day  is  where  Rose  growing  was  thirty- 
five  years  ago.  To  sum  up  :  In  the  cultivation  of  Or- 
chids all  plants,  when  newly  potted  or  mounted,  should 
be  made  firm  or  wired,  otherwise,  if  the  plants  move  by 
syringing,  or  other  cause,  the  rootlets  will  be  destroyed. 
The  atmosphere  of  an  Orchid  house  should  always  be 
moist,  winter  and  summer,  in  winter  allowing  the  pot- 


104  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

tery,  cork,  or  other  material  to  become  more  dry.  Light 
and  air  are  essential  to  vigorous  growth,  deluging  -with 
water  when  in  active  growth,  but  never  closing  top  venti- 
lation ;  never  having  a  stagnant  atmosphere  ;  gradually 
withholding  water  as  the  growth  approaches  maturity, 
and  then  only  enough  to  keep  from  shriveling.  As  to 
time  for  re-potting,  the  cultivator  is  guided  by  the  com- 
mencement of  growth.  Plants  should  always  be  under- 
potted  as  long  as  the  plant  is  not  top-heavy,  such  as 
Cattleyas,  Lcelias,  Dendrobiums,  etc. ;  a  top  dressing  is 
all  that  is  needful.  Calanthe,  Phaius,  etc.,  are  re-pot- 
ted annually. 

Insects,  such  as  thrips  and  aphis,  are  kept  under  by 
filling  the  evaporating  pans,  or  other  vessels,  with  chopped 
tobacco  stems  covered  with  water.  Slugs  are  kept  down 
by  placing  lettuce  leaves,  sliced  potatoes  or  carrots  on 
the  pots,  which  examine  daily,  and  destroy.  Eoaches  and 
water  bugs  may  be  killed  by  mixing  roach  poison  with 
molasses,  and  placing  it  on  oyster  shells  at  convenient 
points  in  the  greenhouse.  These  same  remedies  will  be 
found  effective  against  insects  attacking  any  kind  of 
greenhouse  plant. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 
UNHEALTHY  PLANTS— THE  REMEDY. 

WHENEVER  plants  begin  to  drop  their  leaves,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  their  health  has  been  injured.  This  may  be  due 
to  over-potting,  over-watering,  over-heating,  too  much 
cold,  or  the  application  of  such  stimulants  as  guano,  or 
to  some  other  cause  which  has  destroyed  the  fine  rootlets 
by  which  the  plant  feeds,  and  induced  disease  that  may 
lead  to  death.  The  case  is  not  usually  important  enough 


UNHEALTHY    PLANTS— THE   KEMEDY.  105 

to  call  in  a  "plant  doctor,"  so  the  amateur  begins  to 
treat  the  patient,  and  the  practice  is,  in  all  probability, 
not  unlike  that  of  some  of  our  household  physicians  who 
apply  a  remedy  that  increases  the  disease.  Having 
already  destroyed  the,  so  to  speak,  nutritive  organs  of 
the  plant,  the  "stomach"  is  gorged  with  food  by  apply- 
ing water,  or  with  medicine  by  applying  guano  or  some 
patent  "plant  food."  Now  the  remedy  is  nearly  akin  to 
what  is  a  good  one  when  the  animal  digestion  is  deranged 
— give  it  no  more  food  until  it  re-acts.  We  must  then, 
if  the  roots  of  the  plant  have  been  injured  from  any  of 
the  above-named  causes,  let  the  soil  in  which  it  is  potted 
become  nearly  dry  ;  then  remove  the  plant  from  the  pot, 
take  the  ball  of  soil  in  which  the  roots  have  been  envel- 
oped, and  crush  it  between  the  hands  just  enough  to 
allow  all  the  hard  outer  crust  of  the  ball  of  earth  to  be 
shaken  off;  and  then  re-pot  in  rather  dry  soil,  using  a  new 
flower  pot,  or  the  old  one,  thoroughly  washing  it,  so  that 
the  moisture  can  freely  evaporate  through  the  pores.  Be 
careful  not  to  over-feed  the  sick  plant.  Let  the  pot  be 
only  large  enough  to  admit  of  not  more  than  an  inch  of 
soil  between  the  pot  and  ball  of  roots.  After  re-pot- 
ting, give  it  water  enough  to  settle  the  soil,  and  do  not 
apply  any  more  until  the  plant  has  begun  to  grow,  unless, 
indeed,  the  atmosphere  is  so  dry  that  the  moisture  has  en- 
tirely evaporated  from  the  soil,  and  then,  of  course,  water 
must  be  given,  or  the  patient  may  die  from  the  opposite 
cause — starvation.  The  danger  to  be  avoided  is,  in  all 
probability,  that  which  brought  on  the  sickness,  namely  5 
saturation  of  the  soil  by  too  much  water.  Other  causes 
may  induce  sickness  in  plants,  such  as  an  escape  of  gas 
in  the  apartment,  or  smoke  from  a  flue  in  the  greenhouse; 
but  in  all  cases,  when  the  leaves  fall  from  a  plant,  with- 
hold water,  and  if  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  soil 
has  been  poisoned  by  gas,  or  soddened  with  moisture,  shake 
it  from  the  roots  as  before  advised,  and  re -pot  in  a  fresh 


106  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

flower  pot.  Many  years  ago,  when  I  used  smoke-flues  in 
my  greenhouses,  some  kindling  wood,  carelessly  thrown 
on  the  top  of  one  of  them,  ignited,  and  the  smoke  caused 
the  leaves  of  every  plant  to  drop.  There  were  some 
3,000  plants,  mostly  Tea  Roses,  in  the  greenhouse.  It 
would  have  been  too  much  of  a  job  to  re-pot  all,  but  by 
withholding  water  for  some  ten  days,  they  started  a  new 
growth  again,  and  very  few  plants  were  permanently 
injured. 


CHAPTER    XX. 
PLANTS  SUITED  FOR  SUMMER  DECORATION. 

QUITE  a  number  of  winter-blooming  plants  can  also 
be  used  for  flowering  in  the  open  borders  in  summer. 
Among  these  are  Carnations,  Heliotropes,  Fuchsias,  Ge- 
raniums, and  particularly  the  monthly  varieties  of  Roses; 
but  if  these  have  been  forced  to  produce  flowers  in  win- 
ter they  will  not  give  as  much  satisfaction  for  summer 
flowering  as  young  plants  will,  and  whenever  they  look 
sickly  by  the  time  they  should  be  set  in  the  open  ground, 
they  had  better  be  thrown  away,  as  they  will  do  little 
good.  The  following,  not  strictly  winter-flowering,  are 
such  as  will  give  a  continuous  bloom  during  the  whole 
season,  from  June  until  October  or  November.  Antir- 
rhinums (raised  either  from  seeds  or  cuttings),  Agera- 
tams,  Anthemis,  Abutilons,  Chrysanthemums,  Dwarf 
Dahlias,  Erythrina  or  Coral  Plant,  Gladiolus,  Geraniums 
of  all  kinds,  particularly  the  class  known  as  "Zonal," 
double  and  single,  Fuchsias  in  shade,  Feverfew  (cut- 
tings), Hollyhocks  (seeds  only),  Heliotropes,  Hibiscus 
(cuttings),  Lantanas,  Lobelias,  Petunias,  single  and 
double  (seeds  or  cuttings),  Pansies  (seeds  only),  Pent- 


PLANTS   SUITED   FOR   SUMMER    DECORATION.         10? 

stemons,  Passion  Flowers,  Eondeletias,  Salvias,  Tropaeo- 
lums,  Verbenas  (seeds  or  cuttings),  Veronicas,  Zinnias 
(seeds  only).  All  of  the  above  have  their  principal  at- 
traction in  their  flowers.  The  following  are  only  useful 
for  the  brilliant  coloring  or  other  peculiarities  of  foliage. 
Alternantheras,  Achyranthes,  Artemisias,  Cerastium  (cut- 
tings), Oentaureas  (seeds),  Caladiums,  Coleus  (cuttings), 
Cinerarias  (seeds),  Dracaenas,  Echeverias,  Geraniums  (sil- 
ver, gold,  or  bronze),  variegated  Ivies,  Lysimachia,  varie- 
egated  Grasses,  Peristrophe,  Sanchezia  nobilis,  Vinca  ma- 
jor, etc.  (For  descriptions,  see  florists'  catalogues.)  All 
of  the  above  can  be  raised  from  slips  or  cuttings  taken  from 
plants  (or  by  seeds  where  noted),  during  the  winter  or  early 
spring  months  (January,  February,  March,  or  April), 
either  from  plants  that  have  been  kept  for  flowering  in 
winter,  or  from  large  plants  that  have  been  preserved  for 
the  purpose  of  propagation.  The  young  plants  raised  from 
slips  are  in  nearly  every  instance  preferable  to  the  old 
plants.  Our  practice  is,  to  grow  the  old  or  "stock" 
plants  simply  to  make  cuttings,  until  we  get  enough 
from  them,  and  then  to  throw  the  old  plants  away,  re- 
serving the  young  ones  only  for  selling,  or  for  our  own 
planting  in  the  open  borders.  Cuttings  are  rooted  in  the 
way  described  in  the  chapter  on  "  Propagation  of  Plants 
by  Cuttings,"  or  if  by  seeds,  as  in  chapter  on  "  Propaga- 
tion by  Seeds."  The  young  plants  should  first  be  potted 
in  two-inch  pots,  and  if  early  in  the  season,  they  will  re- 
quire to  be  shifted  into  three  or  four-inch  pots  before  it  is 
time  to  plant  them  out  in  the  open  ground,  which  it  is  not 
safe  to  do  in  this  latitude  until  the  middle  of  May  ;  nor 
in  any  other  latitude  before  the  time  when  Tomatoes  or 
Egg  Plants  can  safely  be  planted  out. 

Nothing  is  more  satisfactory  to  the  lover  of  flowers 
than  raising  his  own  plants,  no  matter  how  able  he  may 
be  to  purchase.  Those  of  his  own  raising,  whether  for 
his  own  use  or  to  present  to  his  friends,  are  always  more 


108  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASUBE. 

valuable  than  anything  that  money  can  buy.  One  of  the 
most  common  mistakes  made  by  purchasers  of  plants  in 
our  city  markets,  is  that  of  almost  invariably  choosing 
large  plants,  forced  into  flower.  Such  plants  are  usually 
grown  under  a  high  temperature  to  get  them  in  bloom 
early,  and  many  a  housewife  has  found  that  the  beautiful, 
full-blooming  plant  of  a  Eose,  Fuchsia,  or  Pelargonium, 
which  she  so  tenderly  carried  home,  will  in  forty-eight 
hours  drop  its  flowers  and  leaves  in  the  cooler  and  drier 
atmosphere  of  her  greenhouse,  parlor,  or  garden.  But 
the  florist  is  hardly  to  blame  for  this,  though  I  know  he 
is  often  severely  censured.  Not  one  in  a  score  of  those  who 
purchase  plants  in  spring  will  buy  any  plant  unless  it  is  in 
bloom.  The  florist  grows  plants  to  sell,  and  must  suit  the 
wants  of  his  customer.  This  little  divergence  from  the 
subject  in  hand,  is  to  show  that  the  small  slips  or  cuttings 
that  the  amateur  may  raise  himself,  or  which  he  can  buy 
from  the  florists  in  small  plants  at  one-fourth  of  the  price  of 
the  forced  plants  sold  in  market,  are  in  most  instances  bet- 
ter than  full-blown  forced  plants,  costing  fifty  cents  or  a 
dollar  each.  This  is  particularly  so  with  monthly  Eoses, 
Verbenas,  Geraniums,  Fuchsias,  Petunias,  Carnations, 
etc.  Young  plants  of  these,  set  out  in  May,  if  not  more 
than  three  or  six  inches  high,  will  grow  and  bloom  in 
profusion  the  entire  summer,  while  those  which  have 
been  forced,  if  they  recover  at  all,  will  be  greatly  in- 
ferior. 

We  plant  our  young  Eoses  in  May,  usually  in  beds 
four  feet  wide,  setting  the  plants  twelve  inches  apart  each 
way.  They  begin  to  bloom  by  the  middle  of  June,  and 
continue  without  interruption  until  checked  by  frost  in 
the  fall.  And  so  with  most  other  kinds  here  named ; 
nearly  all  of  which  are  from  young  plants,  propagated 
during  the  winter  and  spring  months.  The  product  of 
cuttings  or  slips  from  a  "  stock"  plant  varies  greatly,  ac- 
cording to  the  kind.  A  good  healthy  plant  of  Fuchsia, 


PLANTS   SUITED   FOR  SUMMER   DECORATION.        109 

say  eighteen  inches  high,  will  easily  give  forty  cuttings  ; 
while  a  Rose  or  Geranium  of  the  same  size  will  not  af- 
ford half  that  number.  A  fair  average  for  medium 
sized  plants  of  those  named  would  be  ten  cuttings  or 
slips  to  each  plant,  so  that,  starting  with  100  plants 
in  the  fall,  by  May  1,000  would  be  no  unreasonable  in- 
crease to  expect ;  or  in  that  ratio,  be  the  number  more 
or  less. 

If  large  quantities  of  plants  are  wanted  for  summer  dec- 
oration by  those  who  have  neglected  to  propagate  them, 
or  did  not  wish  to  do  so,  they  should  purchase  young 
plants  in  March  or  April,  at  which  time  the  florists,  to 
make  room  in  their  houses,  sell  them  at  very  low  rates, 
usually  not  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  price  that  the 
same  plants  forced  into  bloom  in  May  would  cost.  Such 
plants  at  that  season  are  grown  mainly  in  two  and  three- 
inch  pots.  If  taken  from  these  pots,  say  by  1st  of  April, 
and  kept  in  any  cool  room  or  greenhouse,  where  the  tem- 
perature will  average  forty-five  or  fifty  degrees  at  night, 
by  the  time  of  setting  out  in  May  they  will  have  formed 
far  better  plants  than  those  pushed,  rapidly  into  flower  in 
May.  Or,  in  other  words,  $10  expended  in  March  or 
April  will  buy  plants  which,  if  cared  for  as  above  de- 
scribed, will  by  the  middle  of  May  be  of  more  value 
than  the  plants  $50  would  buy  at  that  date  from  the 
same  florist.  There  are  tens  of  thousands  of  lovers  of 
flowers  spread  over  the  land  so  situated  that  they  have 
neither  the  means  nor  the  opportunity  to  get  the  green- 
house or  bedding  plants  above  described  for  the  decora- 
tion of  flower  borders  in  summer;  but  by  the  use  of  an- 
nual flower  seeds  properly  selected,  a  blaze  of  flowers 
may  be  kept  through  the  entire  months  with  very  little 
care  and  at  a  trifling  cost. 

The  list  of  annuals  here  given  embraces  nearly  all  the 
best  leading  kinds,  though  there  are  hundreds  more,  de- 


110 


GARDENING   FOE  PLEASURE. 


scriptions  of  which  and  of  these  will  be  found  in  the 

seed  catalogues. 

Abronia. 

Cypress  Vine. 

(Enotbera. 

Acroclinium. 

Datura. 

Pansy. 

Alyssum. 

Delphinium. 

Petunia. 

Amaranthus. 

Diantuus. 

Phlox  Drummondii. 

Angelonia. 
Aster. 

Everlasting  Flowers. 
Globe  Amaranthus. 

Poppy. 
Portulaca. 

Balloon  Vine. 

Godetia. 

Rhodanthe. 

Balsam. 

Helichrysum. 

Salpiglossis. 

Bartonia. 

Ice  Plant. 

Saponaria. 

Cacalia. 

Larkspur. 

Scabiosa. 

Calendula. 

Loasa. 

Schizantlius. 

Calliopsis. 

Lobelia. 

Senecio. 

Campanula. 

Lupinus. 

Solauum. 

Canary  Bird  Flower. 

Malope. 

Stocks. 

Candytuft. 

Marigold. 

Sweet  Peas. 

Castor  Oil  Bean. 

Marvel  of  Peru. 

Sweet  Sultan. 

Celosia. 

Misrnonette. 

Thunbergia. 

Chrysanthemum. 
Clarkia. 

Mimosa. 
Morning  Glory. 

Verbena. 
Vinca. 

Cockscomb. 

Nasturtium. 

Virginian  Stock. 

Collinsia. 

Nemoptiila. 

Whitlavia. 

Convolvulus. 

Nigel  la. 

Zinnia. 

ANNUAL   SEEDS — HOW   TO    SOW. 

To  produce  the  best  results  where  annual  seeds  are  to 
be  sown  in  the  open  border,  the  soil  should  be  enriched 
with  stable  manure  or  other  fertilizer,  just  as  for  a  crop 
of  vegetables  or  fruits  (see  Chapter  on  Manures),  thor- 
oughly dug,  and  raked  level  and  smooth.  The  location 
for  nearly  all  kinds  of  annual  flowers  should  be  free  from 
shade  ;  although  some  kinds,  such  as  Pansies,  will  do 
quite  well  in  some  shade,  that  is,  where  for  half  of  the 
day  only  they  get  sunlight.  The  seed  catalogues  usually 
distinguish  the  different  species  of  annual  flowers  by 
attaching  the  words  "hardy  annuals"  to  such  as  are 
hardy.  All  such  may  be  sown  in  the  open  ground  as  soon 
as  the  soil  is  dry  enough  in  spring  to  work.  All  the 
others,  not  so  designated,  are  of  tropical  origin,  and  are 
known  as  tender  annuals,  and  should  not  be  sown  in  the 
vicinity  of  New  York  until  the  first  week  in  May.  The  rule 
best  to  give  for  all  sections  of  the  country  is,  not  to  sow  the 
tender  kinds  until  such  time  as  the  farmers  begin  to  plant 


PLANTS   SUITED    FOR   SUMMER    DECORATION.        Ill 

corn,  melons,  or  cucumbers.  This  rule,  if  kept  in  view, will 
apply  to  all  sections  of  the  country,  from  Maine  to  Florida. 
Many  seeds  of  annuals  may  be  sown  thickly  and  trans- 
planted so  as  to  make  the  most  of  them  ;  but,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  this  is  not  done.  They  are  usually  sown  in 
rows  from  six  to  twenty-four  inches  apart,  according  to 
their  kind,  or  in  circular  patches  of  from  one  to  two 
feet  in  diameter,  each  circle  being  from  one  to  two  feet 
apart  from  the  other,  according  to  the  growth  of  the 
variety.  But  whether  sown  in  rows  or  in  circular  patches, 
first  stir  up  the  soil  so  that  the  seed  can  be  readily  cov- 
ered from  a  quarter  of  an  inch  to  one  inch  in  depth. 
After  the  seed  is  sown,  shake  over  it  fine  soil  sufficient 
to  cover  the  seeds,  lighter  or  heavier,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  seeds.  The  covering  is  best  done  by 
sifting  the  soil  over  the  seed,  using  a  sieve  made  of 
mosquito  wire  netting,  which  covers  the  seed  more  regu- 
larly than  can  be  done  by  the  hand,  and,  besides,  it  brings 
the  soil  to  the  proper  condition  of  fineness,  so  important 
in  the  covering  of  small  seeds.  After  the  soil  has  been 
sifted  over  the  seeds  to  the  proper  depth,  take  a  smooth 
board  or  the  back  of  a  smooth  spade,  and  gently  pat  down 
the  covering  over  the  seeds.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  place  a 
label  or  piece  of  stick  in  the  center  of  each  circular 
patch,  or,  if  in  rows,  at  each  end  of  the  row,  so  as  to 
mark  where  the  seed  has  been  sown ;  for  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  in  nearly  all  soils  there  are  the  seeds  of 
weeds,  which  spring  up  often  quicker  than  the  flower 
seeds  do  ;  therefore  it  becomes  necessary  to  know  exactly 
the  spot  where  the  seeds  have  been  sown,  so  that  the 
weeds  can  be  pulled  out  or  hoed  up,  and  not  crowd 
and  smother  the  flowers.  Seedsmen  have  hundreds  of 
complaints  every  season  from  their  customers  that  only 
weeds  come  up  from  flower  seeds  sown,  while  the  facts 
are,  that  the  weeds  came  up  around  the  flower  seed- 
lings, and,  not  being  pulled  out,  enveloped  and  smoth- 


112  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

ered  the  flowers.  After  weeds  hare  been  removed,  if 
the  annuals  come  up  thickly,  which  they  usually  do, 
they  should  be  thinned  out,  leaving  the  strongest  plants, 
so  that  they  shall  stand  at  from  two  to  six  inches  apart, 
according  to  their  kind.  Some  few  annuals  are  not  strong 
enough  to  stand  without  support,  and  for  such  twigs 
or  stakes  twelve  or  eighteen  inches  high  should  be  used. 
For  all  climbing  plants,  such  as  Sweeb  Peas,  brush, 
stakes,  or  strings  proportioned  to  their  hight,  must  be 
used  at  an  early  stage  of  their  growth,  or  they  may  be 
trained  on  the  Tomato  trellis  described  in  chapter  on 
Implements. 

Our  seed  catalogues  are  nearly  all  defective  in  not 
giving  more  specific  directions  for  the  culture  of  annual 
plants.  If  the  space  used  for  description  of  form  and 
color  were  devoted  to  telling  the  time  and  manner  of  sow- 
ing, it  would  be  of  far  more  benefit  to  the  amateur  buyer; 
but  nearly  all  follow  the  English  practice  of  giving  de- 
scriptions of  varieties  only.  There  the  necassity  for  such 
information  is  less,  the  people  being  better  informed  as 
to  flower  culture,  and  the  climate  is  also  more  congenial 
for  the  germination  of  most  seeds. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

HANGING       BASKET  S , 

BASKETS  in  which  to  grow  plants  are  now  made  in  a 
great  variety  of  styles  and  of  different  materials.  What 
are  known  as  "  rustic  "  baskets  (figure  37)  are  made  with 
the  receptacle  for  the  earth  covered  mostly  with  laurel 
roots,  which  assume  an  endless  variety  of  grotesque 
shapes,  well  fitted  for  giving  a  rustic  appearance  to  the 
outer  covering  of  the  hanging  basket.  Then  there  are 


HANGING   BASKETS. 


113 


the  different  forms  of  wire  baskets,  which,  when  used, 
are  lined  with  moss,  and  being  thus  very  open,  and  allow- 
ing of  complete  drainage,  are  best  suited  of  all  for  the 
well  being  of  the  plants.  Many  beautiful  forms  are 
made  from  pottery  ware,  colored  so  as  to  imitate  stumps 
of  wood  and  other  objects.  Thousands  of  these  baskets 
are  used  in  some  of  their  different  forms,  and  many  grow 
their  plants  in  no  other  way,  as  plants  are  not  only  more 
easily  managed  in  these,  bat  many 
varieties  so  cultivated  make  a  more 
graceful  growth  than  is  possible 
when  they  are  in  pots.  In  hang- 
ing baskets,  the  fall  or  Dutch 
bulbs,  of  all  kinds,  can  be  grown, 
giving  them  exactly  the  treatment 
recommended  for  growing  in  pots 
on  page  44.  When  hanging  bas- 
kets are  hung  on  the  veranda  or 
porch  in  summer,  a  great  quan- 
tity of  water  is  usually  required, 
as  the  dry  air  surrounding  the 
basket  on  all  sides  generally  dries 
up  the  soil.  The  simplest  way 
of  watering  them  when  dry,  in 
summer,  is  to  immerse  the  bas- 
ket in  a  pail  or  tub  of  water,  so  that  the  earth  is  thor- 
oughly soaked  through.  How  often  this  immersion  will 
be  necessary  will  depend  on  the  weather,  the  condition 
of  the  plants,  and  the  quantity  of  earth.  If  the  bowl 
of  the  basket  is  full  of  roots,  and  the  weather  hot  and 
dry,  then  once  each  day  may  be  necessary  ;  while,  if  the 
weather  is  damp  and  cool,  it  might  not  require  watering 
more  than  once  a  week.  The  rule  with  these,  as  with  all 
plants,  is,  never  water  unless  they  are  dry,  and  then 
water  thoroughly.  Just  what  this  condition  of  being 
"  dry"  is,  is  not  quite  so  easy  to  describe.  As  a  rule,  most 


Fig.  37. 

BUSTIC   HANGING  BASKET. 


114  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

soils, when  dry,  become  lighter  in  color  and  crumble  freely 
between  the  fingers,  and  are  free  from  the  putty-like 
consistency  they  have  when  wet.  The  bowls  of  "  rustic  " 
and  "terra  cotta"  forms  of  hanging  baskets  are  usually 
without  any  means  of  drainage.  When  such  is  the  case, 
the  purchaser  should  have  a  few  holes,  say  one-fourth  of 
an  inch  in  diameter,  made  in  the  bottom  of  the  bowl,  else 
there  is  danger  that  the  earth  around  the  roots  may  be- 
come saturated  with  water,  unless  unusual  care  is  taken 
in  watering.  There  is  great  diversity  of  taste  displayed 
in  the  material  with  which  these  baskets  are  filled,  and 
no  special  list  of  plants  can  be  given  that  will  not  require 
to  be  annually  changed  and  amended  as  new  plants  are 
introduced.  When  hanging  baskets  are  wanted  for  use 
in  shady  rooms,  or  on  shaded  verandas,  mosses  (Selagi- 
nellas)  are  used,  and  sometimes  exclusively.  Then  for 
the  same  conditions,  Ivies  of  all  sorts,  Cissus,  Tradescan- 
tias,  Sedums  or  Stone  Crops,  Fittonias,  Lysimachia  or 
Moneywort,  Vincas,  Ivy-leaved  Geraniums,  Smilax, 
Impatiens  Mariana,  Lygodium  scandens  (Climbing  Fern), 
etc.,  as  plants  to  droop  over  the  sides,  or  to  be  trained  to 
climb  on  the  trellis  work  or  supports  of  the  basket,  while 
in  the  center  there  are  used  upright  plants,  such  as 
Dracaenas  of  sorts,  Caladiums  (if  for  summer),  Marantas, 
Centaureas,  Echeverias,  Ferns,  Sanchezia  nobilis,  and 
other  plants  of  striking  form  or  foliage.  For  baskets  to 
be  placed  in  the  sun,  or  in  good  light,  an  entirely  differ- 
ent class  of  plants  is  needed,  for  with  the  light  we  get 
flowers  and  greater  brilliancy  of  leaves.  As  drooping 
plants  for  the  edges  of  these  may  be  named  Alter- 
nantheras,  Peristrophe  angustifolia  var.,  Lobelias,  Tro- 
paeolums,  Mesembryanthemums,  Petunias,  single  and 
double,  Passifloras,  Rondeletias,  Torenias,  etc.,  while 
for  upright  or  center  plants,  Ac'hyranthes,  Coleus,  Be- 
gonias, Geraniums  (Zonal),  double,  single,  and  varie- 
gated leaved,  or  any  plant  of  not  too  large  a  growth, 


HA.KGTNG   BASKETS. 


115 


and  which  has  brightness  of  foliage  or  flower.  If  hang- 
ing baskets  are  exposed  to  the  fall  rays  of  the  sun,  or 
even  partly  so,  covering  the  surface  of  the  soil  with 
moss  from  the  woods  will  protect  it  from  drying  too 
quickly,  and  will  also  give  the  basket  a  neater  appear- 
ance. The  soil  used  for  hanging  baskets  need  in  no  way 
differ  from  that  for  plants  grown  in  pots.  Nothing  adds 
so  much  to  the  elegance  of  the  verandas  of  our  summer 
hotels,  as  to  have  hanging  baskets  and  climbing  or  droop- 
ing vines  judiciously  interspersed  throughout.  A  most 


.—A  VEKANDA   GARDEN. 


excellent  example  of  this  was  seen  at  the  Delaware  Water 
Gap  House,  in  Pennsylvania,  where,  in  1886,  the  finest 
example  of  this  kind  of  work  was  shown  that  could  well 
be  done,  and  all,  too,  by  the  hands  of  the  wife  of  the 
proprietor,  Mrs.  L.  W.  Broadhead.  It  was  a  never- 
failing  source  of  enjoyment  to  the  guests  of  the  hotel, 
giving  a  graceful  and  cooling  shade  in  the  hot  summer 
months. 


116  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
WINDOW   GARDENING. 

WINDOW  gardening  during  the  summer  months  is 
much  more  successful  in  England  than  with  us,  owing  ^o 
a  more  temperate  climate,  and  hence  is  there  almost  uni- 
versally practiced.  In  the  cities  especially,  where  space 
is  economized  by  placing  story  upon  story,  and  the 
buildings  are  so  close  that  there  is  often  no  room  for  even 
a  spear  of  grass  to  be  grown,  the  only  garden  that  is  pos- 
sible is  one  formed  in  a  box  on  the  window-sill.  This  is 
limited  in  its  extent,  as  the  space  afforded  is  only  some 
four  or  five  fest  in  length,  and  from  eight  to  ten  inches 


£.  39. — PLAIN   WIXDOW-BOX. 


wide,  with  a  depth  for  the  soil  of  about  six  inches.  These 
boxes  are  made  of  a  great  variety  of  materials,  such  as 
wood,  terra  cotta,  iron,  etc.,  according  to  the  taste  or 
means  of  the  owner.  As  the  boxes  are  usually  too  high 
up  to  allow  of  a  close  examination,  and  the  sides  soon 
become  draped  with  drooping  plants,  an  ordinary  box  of 
pine,  as  in  figure  39,  will  answer  as  well  as  a  more  expen- 
sive one.  As  it  is  exposed  to  the  weather,  and  the  weight 
of  the  earth  is  considerable,  it  should  be  put  together 
very  firmly.  Having  procured  the  box,  let  a  tin-smith 
make  a  lining  or  box  of  zinc  that  will  exactly  fit 
inside  of  it.  This  needs  only  a  few  tacks  at  the  upper 
edge  to  hold  the  zinc  to  the  wood.  Usually  spaces  are 
left  in  the  bottom  to  admit  of  the  water  passing  freely 
through.  When  this  is  not  done  greater  care  is  required 


WINDOW    GARDENING.  117 

in  watering.  A  more  expensive  box  (figure  40)  is  made 
of  wood,  lined  with  zinc,  and  the  exterior  covered  with 
ornamental  tiles,  which  are  kept  in  place  by  a  proper 
molding  at  the  margins.  A  box  of  this  kind  may  be 
covered  with  floor  oil-cloth,  and  if  a  proper  pattern  be 
selected,  it  cannot,  at  a  few  yards  off,  be  told  from  the 
much  more  costly  tiles.  Many  of  the  streets  of  London 
and  Edinburgh,  during  the  summer  months,  present  a 
pleasing  appearance,  that  cannot  fail  to  interest  even 
those  who  have  no  taste  for  flowers.  The  plants  used  are 
mainly  such  as  we  recommend  for  hanging  baskets,  those 
designated  for  shady  positions  being  used  on  the  shady 
sides  of  the  streets,  and  those  for  flowering  on  the  sunny 
sides.  These  window  gardens  in  summer  produce  the 


Fig.  40.— WINDOW-BOX   ORNAMENTED   WITH   TILES. 

finest  effect  when  planted  with  some  drooping  plants. 
For  our  climate,  during  the  summer  months,  when  ex- 
posed to  full  sun,  strong,  vigorous-growing  plants  must 
be  selected,  such  as  Tropasolums,  Petunias,  Passifloras, 
etc.  ;  while  for  the  same  position,  the  upright  plants 
may  be  double  and  single  Geraniums,  Heliotropes,  Be- 
gonias, and  the  like.  For  window  boxes  on  the  shady  side, 
use  the  plants  recommended  for  hanging  baskets  in  the 
shade.  The  simplest  use  of  window  boxes  is  to  sow  them 
with  annual  seeds,  such  as  Mignonette,  Sweet  Alys- 
sum,  Phlox  Drummondii,  Portulaca,  etc.,  all  of  which 
should  have  a  southern  exposure.  For  the  manner  of 
sowing,  see  "Annual  Seeds — How  to  Sow."  The  soil  may 
be  such  as  is  used  for  pots.  Watering  must  be  given 
as  recommended  for  hanging  baskets,  only,  in  the  case 


118  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

of  the  window  box,  it  would  not  be  practicable  to  im- 
merse it,  nor  is  there  the  same  necessity  for  doing  so,  as 
the  box  is  less  exposed  than  the  hanging  basket,  which  is 
suspended  and  surrounded  by  drying  air  upon  all  sides. 
These  remarks  refer  to  window  gardening  outside  of  the 
windows,  or  on  the  outer  sill.  If  the  boxes  are  placed 
inside  in  winter,  which  they  may  be,  the  treatment  rec- 
ommended in  the  chapter  on  "  Winter-Flowering  Plants" 
will  be  applicable. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

CULTURE    OF  WATER  LILIES  AND    OTHER   AQUATIC 
PLANTS. 

THE  following  pa^es  have  been  written  by  E.  D. 
Sturtevant,  now  of  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  who  mates  an 
exclusive  business  of  growing  aquatic  plants,  and  who  is 
acknowledged  as  the  highest  authority  on  the  subject 
that  we  have  in  this  country. 

THE  WATER    LILY    TANK. 

Although  Water  Lilies  may  be  cultivated  in  tubs,  they 
may  be  grown  to  much  better  perfection  if  allowed 
plenty  of  room,  especially  the  larger-growing  tropical 
species.  Those  who  wish  to  cultivate  a  number  of  kinds, 
and  have  complete  success,  should  build  a  tank  about 
twenty  by  thirty  feet,  and  two  feet  deep,  out  doors.  If 
sunk  entirely  in  the  ground  it  would  be  more  easily 
protected  from  frosts  in  cold  climates.  But  it  may  be 
partly  sunken,  and  the  soil  which  is  taken  out  used  as  an 
embankment  around  the  outside,  sloping  it  up  to  the  top. 
I  prefer  that  it  should  be  sunk  to  the  level  of  the  sur- 
rounding surface,  for  the  reason  that  the  banks  can  be 


CULTURE    OF    WATER    LILIES,    ETC.  119 

made  more  ornamental.  It  may  be  built  of  either  brick 
or  stone.  The  bottom  may  be  laid  with  rough  stone  and 
grouted  with  cement.  Or,  if  the  soil  is  of  a  firm  nature, 
a  thick  coat  of  cement  alone  may  be  spread  upon  it. 
This'  latter  plan  has  been  perfectly  successful  with  us, 
though  we  consider  a  concrete  bottom  preferable.  The 
walls  should  be  nine  inches  thick,  laid  in  cement,  and  in 
cold  climates  made  to  slope  outward  from  the  bottom. 
If  it  is  desired  to  grow  Nymphc&a  Devoniensis,  or  similar 
kinds,  to  full  size  of  leaf  and  flower,  then  it  will  be  nec- 
essary to  sink  a  pit  in  the  center,  one  foot  deep  and  four 
feet  square,  to  hold  soil  for  them.  Provide  means  for 
emptying  the  tank  of  water,  when  desired  ;  also,  a  waste 
pipe,  near  the  top,  for  overflow.  After  the  walls  have 
been  built,  and  the  bottom  laid  and  grouted,  the  whole 
must  receive  an  additional  coat  of  cement.  About  four 
feet  from  each  end  of  the  tank,  build  a  partition  wall 
about  ten  inches  high.  Bricks  laid  on  edge  will  do,  if 
laid  in  cement.  These  spaces  can  be  cut  in  two  by  an- 
other partition.  The  compartments  thus  formed  are  for 
the  purpose  of  confining  the  roots  of  the  different  kinds 
of  Lotus  within  proper  limits,  and  for  planting  out  those 
kinds  of  Nymphaea  which  do  better  in  such  a  position. 
The  remaining  portion  of  the  tank  can  be  taken  up  with 
pots  and  large  shallow  boxes,  which  will  be  movable  at 
will.  After  the  cement  has  properly  hardened,  fill  the 
compartments  and  boxes  with  soil,  and  cover  with  an 
inch  or  two  of  clean  sand.  Fill  the  tank  with  water,  and 
let  it  get  well  warmed  before  planting  anything  tender. 
As  warm  weather  approaches,  run  a  stream  of  fresh  water 
in,  for  an  hour  or  two  each  day,  to  prevent  stagnation 
When  the  surface  of  the  water  is  covered  with  leaves, 
there  is  less  tendency  in  this  direction  ;  and  all  that 
seems  to  be  necessary  is  to  replace  what  is  lost  by  evapo- 
ration. 

The  Lily  tank  must  be  placed  in  a  warm  and  sunny 


120  GARI>E>TIXG    FOR    PLEASURE. 

position,  for  these  plants  will  not  do  their  best  unless  the 
water  is  thoroughly  warmed.  On  the  north  side  may  be  a 
border  filled  with  Musas,  Cannas,  Bamboos,  Ornamental 
Grasses,  Caladiums,  etc.,  which  form  a  fine  background 
for  the  Water  Lilies,  and  give  the  whole  a  tropical  ap- 
pearance. 

In  such  a  tank  as  above  described,  the  tenderest 
species  named  may,  in  this  latitude,  be  planted  out  by 
the  10th  of  June,  and  remain  until  the  frosts  of  autumn 
appear.  If  it  is  desired  to  enjoy  the  longest  possible 
season  of  bloom  in  the  open  air,  then  the  Lily  pond  may 
be  located  near  a  greenhouse,  and  some  connection  made 
with  the  hot-water  boiler.  My  manner  of  doing  this  is 
to  extend  the  hot-water  pipe  (both  flow  and  return)  from 
the  boiler  to  the  tank,  and  reaching  a  few  inches  inside 
of  the  wall.  The  ends  of  these  pipes  are  left  open,  and 
when  extra  heat  is  wanted  a  fire  is  kept  in  the  boiler. 
The  circulation  being  constant  between  tank  and  boiler, 
the  water  in  the  tank  may  thus  be  warmed  early  in  the 
spring,  the  tender  Lilies  planted  out  earlier,  and  thus 
earlier  bloom  be  the  result.  Fire  heat  can  be  discon- 
tinued as  soon  as  the  summer  sun  begins  to  do  its  work. 
The  season  of  bloom  can  be  prolonged  in  the  autumn  in 
the  same  manner.  As  soon  as  frosty  weather  arrives  the 
tender  species  should  be  taken  under  glass,  and  kept  in 
water  at  fifty-five  to  sixty  degrees,  according  to  the 
variety. 

For  the  protection  of  the  tank  in  winter,  place  planks 
or  boards  around  the  edge  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cover 
a  space  two  or  three  feet  in  width,  that  is,  over  the 
water,  and  cover  them  with  a  thick  layer  of  leaves  or  litter. 
This  will  help  to  keep  the  ice  from  forming  at  the  edge, 
tmd,  consequently,  from  expanding  too  much  and  cracking 
the  walls.  Another  plan  is  to  drain  the  water  entirely 
from  the  pond,  and  cover  with  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  of 
leaves.  Any  one  having  a  large  factory  could  place  a 


CULTURE    OF    WATER    LILIES,    ETC'.  121 

Lily  pond  near  it,  so  that  the  waste  steam  or  hot  water 
(if  free  from  chemicals  or  filth)  might  be  utilized  for 
keeping,  the  water  warm,  and  from  freezing  in  winter. 
It  may  be  asked,  "Why  all  this  trouble  and  expense  ? 
Why  not  grow  the  Lilies  in  ponds  with  a  bottom  of  nat- 
ural earth  ?"  We  answer,  that  for  the  hardy  kinds  this 
is  undoubtedly  a  good  plan,  and  very  fair  success  may  be 
had  in  the  same  way  with  the  tender  kinds;  bnt  in  a 
pond  with  a  cement  bottom  the  water  is  more  readily 
heated  by  the  sun,  and  retains  its  heat  better. 

THE    WATER    LILY   GARDEN    COMPLETE. 

I  will  add  here  a  few  words  upon  the  "  possibilities  " 
of  aquatic  gardening.  One  argument  in  favor  of  culti- 
vating tropical  Lilies  in  the  open  air  is,  that  larger  leaves 
and  flowers  are  obtained,  and  in  case  of  the  colored 
kinds,  greater  depth  of  color  than  under  glass.  Another 
argument  is,  the  grand  effect  which  may  be  produced 
on  the  lawn  or  in  any  part  of  the  pleasure  ground.  Let 
us  suppose  that  you  wish  to  have  an  aquatic  garden,  fifty, 
sixty,  or  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  We  will  not  build 
it  in  the  stiff  form  of  a  circle  or  oval,  but  the  outline 
shall  be  irregular,  with  here  and  there  a  small  bay, 
across  which  we  will  throw  a  rustic  bridge  to  a  miniature 
peninsula.  Somewhere  on  the  margin  we  will  build  a 
rustic  summer-house.  It  shall  be  a  two-story  affair,  for 
sometimes  we  shall  want  to  view  our  pets  from  an  ele- 
vated position  ;  for,  unlike  our  fellow-creatures,  they 
smile  upon  us  when  we  look  down  upon  them.  If  we 
have  a  rocky  ledge  in  our  grounds,  let  us  place  our  pond 
near  it.  Now,  let  us  suppose  that  all  has  been  planted, 
established,  and  come  to  midsummer  perfection.  Some 
morning,  before  the  night-blooming  Lilies  have  begun 
to  take  their  midday  sleep,  let  us  ascend  the  low  tower 
and  take  a  view  of  the  picture.  There,  beneath  us,  is  the 
noble  Nymphcea  deniata,  covering  a  space  twenty  feet 


122  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

in  diameter,  some  of  its  Ieave3  two  feet  across,  and  its 
milk-white  flowers  twelve  inches  across  ;  there  is  the 
grand  N.  rubra,  with  its  immense  cups  of  glowing  car- 
mine; and  there,  queen  of  them  all,  is  N.  Devoniensis,  sur- 
passing in  brilliancy  of  flower,  if  not  in  size  of  leaf,  the 
famous  Victoria  regia.  Then  come  groups  of  these  same 
Lilies,  planted  more  thickly;  and  though  the  flowers  are 
smaller,  yet  they  are  more  numerous  and  just  as  brilliant. 
Yonder,  a  little  bay  is  filled  with  Egyptian  Lotus,  its 
pink  and  white  flowers,  on  stalks  three  feet  above  the 
water,  looking  like  immense  tulips.  Next  is  a  mass  of 
the  American  Lotus,  with  its  sulphur-yellow  flowers ; 
some  of  its  floating  leaves  have  strayed  out  into  an  open 
space,  and  are  thirty  inches  in  diameter.  Let  us  descend 
and  walk  along  the  border  of  our  little  lake.  Here  is  a 
plantation  of  the  lovely  blue  N.  scutifolia;  you  per- 
ceive its  fragrance  before  yon  come  near  it.  Next  is  the 
beautiful  Yellow  Lily  from  Florida;  and  our  own  sweet 
Water  Lily  is  not  forgotten,  for  it  is  here  in  masses.  As- 
sociated with  it  are  its  charming  new,  rose-colored  vari- 
ety, N.  odorata  rosea,  and  the  delicate  pink-tinted  one. 
Here  are  N.  candidissima  and  N.  alia  rosea,  with  their 
waxy  petals,  similar  in  color  to  some  of  the  others,  but 
having  their  own  distinctive  merits  and  attractions.  The 
favorite  Calla  of  oar  winter  gardens  lifts  its  white  trum- 
pets towards  the  sky,  and  numerous  smaller  flowered 
aquatics  are  found  in  profusion  along  the  edge  of  the 
water.  Coming  around  to  the  Lotuses  again,  we  find 
growing  near  them,  in  shallow  water,  great  clumps  of  the 
Egyptian  Papyrus,  with  its  plumy  heads  on  stalks  six  feet 
high.  Now  let  us  look  at  some  of  the  plants  which  as- 
sociate well  with  water,  and  help  form  a  background  for 
our  picture.  Scattered  along  the  margin  we  find  groups 
of  ornamental  grasses,  Eulalias,  Erianthus,  and  Pampas 
Grass.  Yonder,  on  our  little  peninsula,  stands  a  noble 
Banana  (Musa  Ensete),  twelve  feet  high.  Farther  on  is 


CULTURE   OF   WATER    LILIES,    ETC.  123 

a  clump  of  the  tall  Bamboo  (Arundo  Donax),  and  its 
variegated  variety.  There  are  groups  of  Cannas,  and  a 
large  Palm,  brought  from  the  greenhouse  to  spend  the 
summer  in  the  open  air.  Another  stately  plant  is  Aloca- 
sia  arborea,  with  a  tree-like  trunk  and  fine,  large  leaves. 
What  is  this  great-leaved  plant  near  the  water's  edge  ? 
It  is  Gunnera  scabra  (the  Giant  Khubarb),  with  leaves 
six  feet  in  diameter.  Now  do  you  wish  to  give  your 
friends  a  glimpse  of  fairyland  ?  Then  illuminate  your 
grounds,  and  invite  them  to  an  evening  fete  or  garden 
party.  The  Lotuses  and  hardy  Lilies  have  closed  their 
flowers,  but  the  night-blooming  Water  Lilies  offer  us  a 
feast  for  the  eyes  at  night.  Place  large  lamps,  with  re- 
flectors, in  such  a  position  as  to  throw  a  powerful  light 
directly  upon  the  flowers ;  or,  perhaps,  Edison's  magic 
lamps  are  available,  and  you  suspend  a  number  of  them 
in  midair  over  the  water.  Now  the  red  Lilies  fairly 
glow  with  color,  and  are  far  more  beautiful  than  by  day- 
light. The  water  is  like  a  mirror,  and  in  its  depths  you 
behold  another  glorious  picture — a  perfect  image  of  the 
flowers  themselves.  The  large,  star-like  white  ones  keep 
company  with  the  red  in  their  night  watches,  and  are 
not  unworthy  companions  for  them.  Look  around  at 
the  floating  leaves,  the  numerous  buds  which  will  open 
with  to-morrow's-  sun,  the  tall  shields  of  the  Lotus,  the 
rich,  tropical  foliage  on  the  banks,  the  rustic  arbor  cov- 
ered with  myriads  of  the  silvery  blossoms  of  the  Moon 
Flower  (Ipomcea  grandiflora),  and  tell  me  if  this  is  not  a 
fairy  scene.  And  having  taken  a  view  of  the  Water  Lily 
Garden  by  daylight  and  by  lamplight,  will  you  not  ac- 
knowledge that  in  all  that  is  really  beautiful  it  far  sur- 
passes the  most  elaborate  exhibition  of  carpet  bedding  ? 

Perhaps  you  will  say  that  this  is  a  fancy  sketch.  Our 
answer  is,  that  it  has  been  so  far  realized  that  AVC  do  not 
hesitate  to  place  such  a  garden  as  we  have  described  among 
the  list  of  "possibilities  of  horticulture"  in  America. 


124 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


[My  readers  will  be  pleased  to  learn  that  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  government  grounds  and  buildings  at 
Washington  proposes  to  add  a  collection  of  aquatics  to 


Fig.  41. — VIEW  OF  AQUATIC   PLANTS  IN  CENTRAL  PAEK. 

the  already  interesting  collection  of  plants  to  be  seeii 
there.  This  will,  beyond  doubt,  give  an  impetus  to  their 
cultivation,  just  as  has  been  done  in  the  Central  Park, 


CULTURE    OF   WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  125 

New  York,  where  the  Water  Lilies  and  other  aquatics 
growing  in  the  ponds  there  have  been  such  a  source  of 
interest  and  pleasure  to  the  tens  of  thousands  of  visi- 
tors.-P.  H.] 

SOIL   FOR    GROWING    AQUATIC    PLANTS. 

The  best  soil  for  growing  all  kinds  of  aquatic  plants  in 
gardens,  we  have  found  to  be  good,  rich  loam,  and  the 
best  decayed  stable  or  cow  manure,  in  equal  quantities. 
Leaf  mold  or  fine  black  peat  can  no  doubt  also  be  used 
to  advantage.  Eich  mud  from  the  bed  of  a  pond  or 
sluggish  stream  will  answer  in  place  of  the  loam,  but  I 
do  not  consider  it  essential.  The  compost  should  be 
well  mixed,  placed  in  the  tank,  and  covered  with  about 
an  inch  of  good,  clean  sand,  to  keep  the  manure  from 
rising  ;  then  let  in  the  water  several  days  before  putting 
in  the  plants. 

WATER   LILIES   IN   TUBS   AND   CEMENT   BASINS. 

A  good  degree  of  success  may  be  attained  by  planting 
them  in  large  tubs  or  half-barrels  in  the  open  air,  either 
on  the  surface  or  sunk  in  the  ground.  They  should  be 
placed  where  they  will  receive  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun 
for  at  least  the  greater  portion  of  the  day.  If  for  the 
whole  day,  so  much  the  better.  Fill  them  about  half 
full  of  the  compost  recommended  for  all  aquatics.  The 
large  growing  kinds  would  do  better  in  half-hogsheads 
or  in  tierces  sawed  in  two. 

A  very  effective  and  inexpensive  plan  is  to  arrange  the 
tubs  in  connection  with  a  rockery,  a  large  tub  in  the 
center  being  placed  somewhat  higher  than  the  rest,  and 
connected  by  pieces  of  rubber  hose,  so  that  the  overflow 
from  the  large  tub  runs  .from  one  to  the  other,  changing 
the  water  in  all.  Oil  barrels  cut  in  two  make  excellent  tubs. 

The  space  around  the  tubs  is  filled  with  good  rich  com- 


126  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

post,  held  in  place  by  large  stones,  in  which  foliage  and 
flowering  plants,  such  as  Tuberous  rooted  Begonias, 
Sedums,  Caladiums,  Palms,  etc.,  are  planted.  The  effect 
produced  in  this  manner  is  really  beautiful.  See  fig.  42. 
The  next  best  arrangement  for  growing  aquatics  is  to 
build  of  bricks  and  hydraulic  cement  a  basin  two  feet 
deep  and  six  feet  in  diameter,  either  round  or  square. 
This  can  be  sunk  in  the  lawn  in  a  sunny  position,  or  on 
the  south  side  of  a  building  or  fence.  If  convenient, 
provide  means  for  emptying  the  tank  from  the  bottom, 
and  a  waste-pipe  near  the  top  for  overflow,  BO  that  fresh 


.  42. — VIEW   OF  WATER  LILT  BED. 


water  can  be  run  in  occasionally  to  prevent  stagnation. 
Such  a  tank  would  need  to  be  well  protected  from  severe 
frost  in  winter.  Aquatics  may  also  be  grown  in  the 
basin  of  a  fountain,  but  they  will  not  flourish  if  the  spray 
is  allowed  to  fall  upon  the  leaves.  Water  enough  to  keep 
that  in  the  basin  fresh  may  be  allowed  to  run  in,  but  no 
more,  as  that  would  lower  the  temperature  too  much. 

ENEMIES   OF   AQUATIC    PLANTS. 

The  conditions  which  we  recommend  for  successfully 
growing  tropical  aquatics  (i.  e..  still,  warm  water  and 
rich  compost),  favor  the  growth  of  a  low  form  of  vege- 


CULTURE   OF   WATER  LILIES,    ETC.  127 

table  life  called  confervae,  or  green  scum,  which  becomes 
very  unsightly  and  troublesome  unless  eradicated.  As 
the  result  of  several  years'  experience,  we  are  quite  posi- 
tive that,  if  abundance  of  Gold-fish  are  kept  in  the  tank 
or  pond,  there  will  be  no  trouble  in  this  direction.  Other 
kinds  of  fish  which  are  vegetarian  in  habit  might,  per- 
haps, answer  as  well,  but  the  German  Carp  is  not  to  be 
recommended  for  tanks  kept  solely  for  the  choicer  varie- 
ties of  acquatics,  on  account  of  their  propensity  for  root- 
ing in  the  mud  and  feeding  upon  the  fibrous  roots  which 
proceed  from  the  rhizomes  of  the  Lilies.  Should  it  be 
determined  to  keep  a  few  German  Carp  in  the  Lily  Gar- 
den, it  will  be  necessary  to  place  whole  pieces  of  roofing- 
slate  or  large  pebbles  on  the  soil  around  the  crowns  of 
the  tender  Nymphaeas. 

Innumerable  kinds  of  aquatic  insects  breed  in  the 
water,  and  some  of  their  larvae  prey  upon  the  leaves  of 
the  Lilies,  but  the  common  water-snail  is  the  greatest 
enemy  of  aquatic  plants.  The  Gold-fish  assist  very 
materially  in  destroying  these  larvae  and  snails,  but  we 
have  found  a  complete  preventive  of  injury  to  the  foli- 
age from  this  source  by  keeping  in  the  tank,  in  addition 
to  the  Gold-fish,  some  of  the  common  spotted  Sun- 
fish.  They  are  carnivorous  in  habit  and  very  alert  and 
active.  Moreover,  it  is  impossible  for  mosquitoes  to 
breed  in  a  Water  Lily  basin  in  which  abundance  of  the 
above-named  fish,  or  those  of  similar  habit,  are  kept. 
Thus  one  objection  to  locating  these  tanks  or  ponds  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  dwelling-house  is  removed.  Their 
beautiful  appearance,  and  the  ease  with  which  they  may 
be  taught  to  feed  from  the  hand  (though  it  must  not  be 
done  too  frequently),  make  them  charming  adjuncts  to 
the  Water  Garden.  If  the  tank  is  two  feet  or  more  in 
depth,  they  can  be  left  in  it  all  winter  with  perfect  safety 
in  this  latitude. 

Sometimes,  toward  autumn,  brown  aphides,  or  plant 


CULTURE   OF   WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  129 

lice,  become  troublesome  on  the  Lily  leaves.  A  some* 
what  new  insecticide,  which  any  one  can  prepare,  has 
proved  effectual  with  us.  It  is  called  the  kerosene  emul- 
gion,  or  kerosene  butter,  and  is  prepared  as  follows  :  Take 
two  parts  of  kerosene  and  one  part  of  thick,  sour  milk  ; 
warm  the  latter  (to  blood  heat  only) ;  put  the  two  liquids 
together,  and  agitate  violently  with  a  greenhouse  syringe 
or  a  force-pump.  They  will  soon  completely  unite  and 
form  a  white,  soapy  mass.  This  kerosene  butter  mixes 
readily  with  tepid  water.  One  part  of  the  butter  should 
be  thoroughly  mixed  with  fifteen  parts  of  water,  and  ap- 
plied to  the  infested  leaves  with  a  syringe.  With  us,  one 
application  entirely  destroyed  the  insects,  without  any  in- 
jury whatever  to  Nymphseas.  A  weaker  solution  of  the 
emulsion  must  be  used  on  plants  which  are  found  to 
be  injured  by  the  proportion  above  given.  Experience 
will  be  a  guide  in  this  matter.  Very  few  applications  of 
the  remedy  will  be  needed  during  the  season.  Nelumbium 
leaves  are  injured  by  the  application  of  kerosene.  To- 
bacco water  applied  with  a  syringe,  or  tobacco  dust  shaken 
on  the  leaves,  is  the  best  means  for  destroying  aphides, 
or  plant  lice,  on  these. 

DESCRIPTION   OF  VARIETIES. 

The  Victoria  Regia. — This  giant  Water  Lily  of  the 
River  Amazon  is  the  grandest  of  all  aquatics.  See  fig.  43, 
That  it  may  be  successfully  grown  and  flowered  in  the 
open  air  in  this  latitude,  we  have  proved  beyond  a  doubt, 
having  done  so  for  several  seasons  past.  By  this  plan  it 
is  treated  as  a  tender  annual.  In  winter  or  early  spring 
seeds  are  placed  in  water,  kept  uniformly  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  from  eighty  to  ninety  degrees.  After  germinat- 
ing they  are  potted  and  shifted  on,  as  they  require  it. 
Early  in  June  a  plant  is  placed  in  a  bed  of  very  rich  soil 
in  a  tank,  fully  exposed  to  the  sun,  and  which  can  be 


130  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

artificially  heated  until  hot  weather  sets  in.  It  produces 
leaves  six  feet  across,  one  plant  covering  a  space  thirty 
feet  in  diameter.  The  flowers  are  from  twelve  to  sixteen 
inches  across.  The  first  night  that  they  open  they  are 
a  lovely  white,  and  emit  a  delicious  perfume,  resembling 
that  of  pineapples,  which  is  often  perceptible  some  rods 
distant.  The  second  night  the  flowers  have  changed  to 
pink,  and  have  lost  their  perfume.  In  the  Southern 
States  it  may  be  grown  with  complete  success  in  open 
ponds.  The  seeds  cost  fifty  cents  each,  and  plants  about 
ten  dollars  each. 

New  Crimson-flowered  Victoria  Regia. — Since  the  dis- 
covery of  the  original  species,  many  years  ago,  no  new 
variety  has  appeared  until  now.  We  had  the  honor  of 
successfully  growing  and  flowering  this  novelty  last  sea- 
son (1886),  it  being  its  first  appearance  in  this  country. 
It  differs  from  the  original  Victoria  in  the  following  par- 
ticulars :  The  whole  plant  is  of  more  robust  habit,  and 
the  young  leaves  of  a  darker  bronzy  color.  In  the  old 
variety  the  vertical  rim  of  the  leaf  is  seldom  more  than 
three  inches  high.  In  the  new  one  this  vertical  rim  on 
well-grown  plants  is  five  inches,  and  sometimes  six  inches 
high,  giving  the  plant  a  most  striking  and  novel  appear- 
ance. Leaves  are  produced  six  to  seven  feet  in  diam- 
eter. In  the  old  variety  the  flowers  are  white  on  first 
opening,  changing  on  the  second  day  to  rosy  pink. 
In  the  new  variety  the  flowers  are  also  white  the  first 
day,  but  on  the  second  day  they  turn  to  a  deep  crim- 
son color.  The  seeds  of  this  wonderful  plant  cost  one 
dollar  each. 

Euryale  Ferox. — This  is  the  East  Indian  relative  of  the 
Royal  Water  Lily,  but  not  so  gigantic  in  size.  Its  flowers 
are  of  a  deep  reddish  or  violet  color.  The  leaves,  in 
which  the  plant's  chief  beauty  resides,  are  purple  in  color, 
curiously  wrinkled,  and  covered  with  long  spines  on  both 
sides.  It  is  an  annual. 


CULTUKE   OF   WATER  LILIES,    ETC.  131 

NIGHT-BLOOMING  WATEB  LILIES. 

Unlike  our  wild  N.  odorata,  the  following  seven  kinds 
open  their  flowers  at  night,  beginning  about  eight  o'clock 
and  (excepting  N.  ampla)  remaining  expanded  until 
about  ten  the  next  morning,  each  flower  opening  three 
nights  in  succession.  They  stand  on  strong  foot-stalks 
ten  or  twelve  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  water.  If 
given  the  right  conditions  as  to  soil,  temperature,  etc., 
they  will  begin  to  bloom  in  about  forty  days  after  being 
put  out,  and  continue  to  be  constantly  in  bloom  until 
cold  weather.  They  all  require  the  same  culture  and 
treatment.  Their  tubers  are  about  the  size  of  a  hickory 
nut  or  walnut,  but  make  a  most  astonishing  growth  in  a 
single  season.  In  spring  they  should  be  placed  in  small 
pots  with  good  loam  or  ordinary  greenhouse  potting  soil, 
and  immersed  in  water  kept  at  eighty  degrees  to  start 
them  into  growth.  If  you  are  satisfied  to  have  flowers 
from  four  to  six  inches  in  diameter,  then,  when  warm 
weather  arrives,  shift  them  into  large  earthen  pans  or 
tubs,  and  place  them  out  of  doors,  or  keep  them  in  a 
greenhouse,  according  to  the  latitude  in  which  you  live. 
If  the  finest  specimens  are  desired,  then,  as  early  in  sum- 
mer as  the  water  becomes  warm  enough  for  bathing  with 
comfort,  plant  them  out  in  a  Water  Lily  tank,  in  large 
beds  or  wooden  boxes  filled  with  the  compost  recommend- 
ed for  aquatics.  In  the  autumn,  around  the  old  plant 
may  be  found  hard,  nut-like  tubers.  These  are  the  best 
for  wintering.  The  plants  ripen  and  shed  their  leaves, 
when  they  may  be  placed,  several  together,  in  a  pot  of 
soil  or  clean  sand,  and  the  pots  immersed  in  water  kept 
at  a  temperature  of  about  sixty  degrees  the  entire  winter. 
Lower  than  this  may  do,  but  we  have  found  this  the 
safest.  Large  flowering  crowns  are  valueless  for  win- 
tering over,  being  sure  to  decay.  If  you  wish  to  grow 
them  in  a  pond  with  a  bottom  of  natural  earth,  they 


132 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


must  first  be  planted  in  large  boxes  or  half-barrels  filled 
with  the  prepared  compost,  and  sunk  where  the  water  is 
two  or  three  feet  deep.  In  the  Southern  States  this  will 
not  be  necessary,  but  do  not  put  a  dormant  tuber  at  once 
into  deep  water.  Let  it  first  get  a  good  growth  in  a  pot 
placed  in  shallow  water.  The  day-blooming  tender 
Nymphseas  are  managed  in  much  the  same  way  as  the 
night-blooming  ones,  except  that  they  do  not  increase  by 
suckers,  and  the  old  plants  may  be  kept  over  from  year 
to  year.  Dormant  tubers  are  easily  sent  by  mail  from 
March  to  December. 

Nymphcea  Devoniensis. — This  is  one  of  the  choicest,  if 
not  the  very  choicest,  Water  Lily  in  cultivation.     Under 


Fig.   44.— NYMPH^BA    DEVONIENSIS. 

the  liberal  treatment  which  we  recommend  for  producing 
the  finest  specimens,  in  one  season  a  single  plant  will 
cover  a  circle  twenty  feet  across,  with  leaves  twenty-five 
inches  in  diameter,  and  flowers  twelve  inches  from  tip  to 
tip  of  petals.  If  confined  in  pans,  tubs,  or  boxes,  the 
flowers  are  smaller,  but  otherwise  just  as  fine.  The 
leaves  are  rish  green,  with  serrated  edges  and  occasional 
brown  blotches.  No  person  can  form  an  adequate  idea 


CULTURE   OF   WATER    LILIES,    ETC.  133 

of  the  beauty  of  a  red  Water  Lily  until  he  has  seen 
one  of  these  gorgeous  blossoms.  They  are  rosy  red  (with 
scarlet  stamens),  glowing  by  lamplight  with  indescriba- 
ble color.  They  are  yet  rare,  and  cost  from  two  to  three 
dollars  per  tuber. 

Nymphaa  Sturtevanti  (new  Semi-Double  Red  Water 
Lily). — This  variety  has  foliage  of  a  beautiful  bronzy 
color,  sometimes  almost  crimson.  Its  flowers  are  very 
large,  having  a  greater  number  of  petals  than  Nymplicea 
Devoniensis,  and  a  more  graceful  cup-shaped  form  than 
that  variety.  They  are  of  a  beautiful,  rosy  red  color. 
This  is  a  very  choice  variety,  but  not  so  free  flowering  as 
the  others. 

Nymphaa  Rubra. — This  magnificent  species  is  a  na- 
tive of  India,  and  one  of  the  parents  of  N.  Devoniensis. 
The  picture  of  the  latter  gives  a  good  idea  of  N.  rnbra, 
except  that  the  flowers  are  a  little  more  cup-shaped,  and 
their  petals  somewhat  broader.  Their  color  is  also  a 
brilliant  red,  sometimes  of  a  deeper  shade  than  N.  De- 
voniensis, and  both  foliage  and  flowers  attain  nearly  the 
same  size  as  that  variety  if  given  the  same  treatment. 
The  foliage  is  quite  distinct,  being  of  a  rich  brown  color, 
turning,  when  old,  to  gold  and  crimson,  like  autumn 
leaves. 

Nymphcea  Dcntata. — This  species  is  a  native  of  Sierra 
Leone,  and  has  white  flowers  with  petals  expanding 
horizontally,  making  them  star-shaped.  They  have  an 
agreeable  odor,  but  not  as  sweet  as  our  native  Lily.  The 
leaves  are  rich  green,  with  serrated  edges.  With  ordi- 
nary culture,  flowers  will  be  produced  six  or  seven  inches 
across ;  but  give  them  plenty  of  room  and  rich  soil,  and 
both  foliage  and  flowers  will  be  as  large  as  those  of  N. 
Devoniensis. 

Nymphcea  Lotus. — This  is  supposed  to  be  the  typical 
species  of  the  class  of  Water  Lilies  such  as  N.  dentata, 


134  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

N.  Devoniensis,  etc.  It  has  large  and  beautiful  pure 
white  flowers  with  broad  petals,  and  is  far  superior  to 
Nymphcsa  dentata. 

Nymphcea  Ampla. — A  tropical  species,  with  sulphur- 
white  flowers,  about  six  inches  across,  and  strongly 
scented  like  the  odor  of  bananas.  They  open  only  at 
night. 

DAY-BLOOMING    WATER  LILIES,    AND   OTHER   TENDER 
AQUATICS. 

Nymphcea  Scutifolia  (coerulea  orcyanaea). — The  Lilies 
cultivated  under  these  names  are  of  a  beautiful  shade 
of  lavender  blue  (not  a  deep  blue),  about  three  or  four 
inches  across ;  but  when  the  plant  is  given  abundance 
of  room  and  rich  soil,  the  flowers  will  be  much  larger 
and'  of  a  decidedly  deeper  tint.  They  are  very  fra- 
grant, the  perfume  being  entirely  distinct  from  that  of 
Nymphcea  odorata.  It  may  be  successfully  grown  in  a 
natural  pond,  where  the  water  is  still  and  the  mud  rich. 
Probably  hardy  in  the  South.  Winter  temperature,  fifty 
to  sixty  degrees. 

Nymphcea  Zanzilarensis  (the  Royal  Purple  Water 
Lily). — This  new  species,  from  Africa,  was  first  flowered 
in  this  country  in  the  summer  of  1882  ;  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1883,  the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society 
awarded  it  their  Silver  Medal.  It  is,  unquestionably,  the 
deepest  colored  and  finest  of  all  blue  Water  Lilies  known, 
and  some  European  horticulturists  declare  it  to  be  the 
finest  of  the  whole  family.  It  is  of  a  shade  of  blue  so  deep 
that  it  is  not  unreasonably  called  purple.  Some  parts  of 
the  flower  are  of  the  color  of  Lasiandra  macrantha  (a 
greenhouse  plant).  It  has  the  same  fragrance  as  N. 
coerulea,  and.  even  when  grown  in  small  tubs  or  pans, 
produces  larger  flowers  than  that  variety.  Under  the 
treatment  given  it  in  the  Water  Lily  garden,  they  attain 


CULTURE   OF   WATER   LILTES,    ETC.  135 

a  diameter  of  twelve  inches,  and  the  leaves  a  diameter  of 
two  feet.  It  blooms  constantly  until  frosty  weather,  and 
requires  the  same  culture  and  treatment  as  other  blue 
Lilies. 

NymphcBa  Zanzibar  ensis  Azurea. — Strong  flowering 
bulbs  of  this  variety,  raised  from  seed  of  the  true  N.  Zan- 
zibarensis,  are  like  the  species  in  every  respect,  except 
that  the  color  of  the  flowers  is  a  shade  lighter,  being  of 
the  richest  deep  azure  blue,  far  surpassing  N.  cwrulea  or 
any  other  blue  Lily  except  the  true  N.  Zanzibar  ensis. 

Nymphcea  Zanzibarensis  Rosea. — This  is  like  N.  Zan- 
zibarensis in  every  respect,  except  that  the  flowers  are  of 
a  deep  rosy  pink  color. 

Limnocharis  Humboldlii  (the  Water  Poppy). — A 
charming  and  easily  cultivated  plant,  with  oval  floating 
leaves  and  flowers  of  a  bright  lemon  color  with  black 
stamens.  The  flowers  stand  a  few  inches  out  of  water, 
and  are  produced  freely  during  the  entire  season.  Easily 
grown  in  a  tub,  but  better  still  in  the  Water  Lily  garden, 
planted  in  a  box  or  a  tub,  which  must  be  elevated  so  that 
the  plants  may  grow  in  shallow  water.  Wintered  in  the 
greenhouse. 

Limnocharis  Plumieri. — An  erect-growing  plant, 
standing  one  to  two  feet  out  of  the  water,  with  ellip- 
tical leaves  four  to  six  inches  long,  and  of  a  rich  velvety 
green.  .Flowers  straw  color. 

Sagittaria  Montevidiensis. — This  new  plant  has  re- 
cently been  introduced  into  this  country.  It  is  a  giant 
compared  with  our  native  Arrowheads,  which  it  resembles 
in  the  form  of  its  foliage  and  flowers.  It  grows  to  a 
hight  of  four  feet,  with  leaves  fifteen  inches  long.  The 
flowers  are  produced  abundantly  on  spikes  three  feet  high, 
each  bloom  being  two  inches  across,  pure  white,  with  a 
purple  spot  at  the  base  of  each  petal.  It  should  be  win- 
tered in  the  warmest  greenhouse. 


136  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASURE. 

Pontederia  Crassipes  Major. — The  typical  P.  cras- 
sipes  seldom  produces  flowers  under  cultivation;  but  this 
variety  blooms  very  freely  when  grown  in  water  about 
three  inches  deep,  allowing  the  lower  ends  of  the  roots  to 
enter  the  soil.  The  blossoms  are  of  a  beautiful  lilac 
rose  color,  each  two  inches  across,  and  produced  in  large 
upright  spikes  or  trusses  like  a  Hyacinth. 

Ouvirandra  Fenestralis  (the  Lattice-Leaf  Plant). — 
Though  by  no  means  a  new  plant,  it  is  extremely  rare  in 
this  country.  The  following  description  is  from  "Stove 
and  Greenhouse  Plants,"  by  B.  S.  Williams  :  "It  is  pop- 
ularly known  as  the  Lace-Leaf  or  Lattice-Leaf,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  singular  plants  in  existence.  The  leaves 
are  from  six  to  eighteen  inches  in  length,  and  from  two 
to  four  inches  in  breadth  ;  oblong,  with  an  obtuse  apex, 
and  spreading  out  horizontally  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
water.  They  are  of  a  dark  olive  green  color,  and  consist 
of  a  strong  midrib  and  veins  that  would  be  called  the 
primary  nerves  of  an  ordinary  leaf,  and  thus  present  the 
appearance  of  a  beautiful  piece  of  net-work,  or  of  a  skel- 
etonized leaf ;  indeed,  it  is  a  veritable  living  skeleton. 
The  flowers  are  inconspicuous."  Native  of  Madagascar. 
It  should  be  grown  in  a  pan  filled  with  a  mixture  of  good 
loam  and  leaf  mold  or  fine  peat.  The  pan  should  be 
placed  in  a  tub  of  water,  and  great  care  taken  to  keep 
the  water  sweet  and  the  leaves  of  the  plant  clean.  It  is 
generally  kept  in  the  greenhouse  in  summer,  but  in  this 
latitude  we  have  found  it  to  do  well  in  the  open  air.  It 
may  be  wintered  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse  temperature. 
It  is  a  scarce  plant,  and  will  always  cost  from  three  to  five 
dollars  each. 

Myriophyllum  Proserpinacoides. — This  is  grown  on 
account  of  the  exquisite  beauty  of  its  foliage.  It  prefers 
shallow  water,  sending  its  stems  creeping  along  on  the 
surface,  forming  a  mass  of  lovely  soft  green  color.  The 
leaves  are  arranged  in  whorls  along  the  stem,  and  are  as 


OULTtrfiE   OF   WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  137 

finely  divided  as  the  most  delicate  fern.  The  ends  of 
these  creeping  stems  stand  erect,  forming  beautiful  tufts 
or  tassels.  The  plant  may  be  hardy,  but  is  better  kept 
in  a  pan  or  tub  placed  in  a  cool  greenhouse,  where  it 
forms  a  very  pretty  object  in  winter.  It  might  also  be 
grown  in  a  water-tight  hanging  basket. 

Ceratopleris  Thalictroides  (the  Water  Fern). — This  is 
an  extremely  curious  and  interesting  Fern,  growing  with 
its  roots  entirely  submerged  in  water,  either  in  a  pot  or 
planted  out  in  a  shallow  place  in  the  Water  Lily  basin. 
The  fronds  are  from  one  to  three  feet  high,  and  beauti- 
fully forked.  The  finest  ones  are  produced  on  plants 
kept  in  a  little  shade.  It  is  sometimes  called  the  "Float- 
ing Stag's  Horn  Fern.  "  It  must  be  wintered  in  a 
warm  greenhouse. 

Hedychium  Acuminatum  (the  Garland  Flower).  — 
Hedychiums  belong  to  the  family  of  the  Ginger  plant. 
This  species  grows  from  four  to  six  feet  high,  each  flower 
spike  producing,  for  several  weeks  in  succession,  lovely 
snow-white  blossoms,  over  two  inches  across,  resembling 
an  Orchid  in  form,  and  deliciously  scented.  It  may  be 
grown  as  a  semi-aquatic  by  planting  it  in  a  tub,  and 
placing  it  where  the  soil  will  be  kept  wet,  but  the 
crowns  must  not  be  immersed.  If  kept  warm  enough  it 
will  flower  the  whole  year  round. 

Canna  Ehcmani. — This  is  the  most  magnificent  Canna 
ever  introduced.  It  grows  to  a  hight  of  five  or  six  feet, 
with  large,  green,  banana-like  foliage,  and  the  flowers 
are  marvelous  in  size,  being  as  large  as  a  Gladiolus 
bloom.  They  are  of  a  rich,  crimson  scarlet  color,  and 
hang  pendant  in  clusters  from  the  top  of  the  plant. 
Each  stalk  produces  a  succession  of  these  clusters,  one 
after  another,  for  a  long  time.  This  Canna  may  be 
treated  as  a  semi-aquatic  by  planting  it  in  a  large  tub, 
although  it  is  usually  grown  as  the  ordinary  garden  Canna. 


1.38  GARDENING    FOK   PLEASURE. 

Rirhardia  ^ffithiopica  ("The  Calla,"  or  "Lily  of  the 
Nile"). — This  old  and  favorite  plant  can  be  made  a 
charming  feature  among  the  Water  Lilies.  The  only 
way  we  know  for  making  it  bloom  in  summer  is  to 
keep  the  bulbs  entirely  dry  and  dormant  during  autumn 
and  winter.  They  can  then  be  potted  and  grown  as  an 
aquatic  during  summer. 

Papyrus  Antiquorum. — This  is  the  true  Egyptian 
Paper  Plant.  From  the  snow-white  pith  of  its  triangu- 
lar stalks  the  first  paper  was  made.  It  grows  five  or  six 
feet  high,  and  supports  at  the  top  a  tuft  of  long,  thread- 
like leaves,  which  give  the  plant  a  graceful  and  striking 
appearance.  It  grows  finely  in  shallow  water,  with  rich 
soil  or  mud,  and  makes  a  splendid  companion  for  flower- 
ing aquatics.  It  will  also  flourish  and  make  a  fine  clump 
in  the  garden  in  ordinary  soil. 

Cyperus  AUernifolius. — This  also  will  grow  with  its 
roots  submerged  in  water,  its  reedy  stems,  with  tufted 
heads,  resembling  miniature  Palm  trees. 

Cyperus  Strictus. — This  is  like  C.  alternifolius,  but 
stiffer  in  outline.  It  grows  to  the  hight  of  six  or  seven 
feet,  in  rich  soil  and  shallow  water,  and  should  be  win- 
tered in  the  greenhouse. 

FLOATING    PLANTS. 

Piistia  Straliotes. — A  very  curious  plant,  which  floats 
upon  the  water,  with  its  long,  fibrous  roots  extending 
downwards,  but  having  no  connection  with  the  soil.  It 
forms  a  rosette  of  light  green,  velvety  leaves,  about  six 
inches  across  ;  likes  plenty  of  heat,  and  must  be  shaded 
from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  It  does  finely  in  a  tub  of 
water,  placed  in  a  vinery  or  greenhouse,  in  summer,  or 
in  the  open  air,  under  a  tree.  It  is  sometimes  called  the 
Water  Lettuce. 


CULTURE   OF    WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  139 

Pontederia  Crassipes. — This  is  an  extremely  interest- 
ing plant,  which  floats  upon  the  surface  of  the  water 
like  Water  Lettuce.  Each  crown  produces  neat  rosettes 
of  leaves,  the  stems  of  which  are  enlarged  in  the  middle 
into  curious  oval  bulbs  filled  with  air  cells,  which  enable 
the  whole  plant  to  swim.  It  should  be  wintered  in  a 
warm  greenhouse. 

Salvinia  Braziliensis. — A  very  pretty  floating  plant 
something  like  our  native  "Duck-meat,"  but  very  much 
larger.  Its  leaves  have  a  delicate  hairy  surface.  Tender. 

Triancea  Bogotensis. — A  floating  plant,  with  thick, 
spongy  leaves,  from  one-half  to  one  inch  in  diameter. 
Very  curious,  but  tender. 

Azolla  Caroliniana  (Floating  Moss). — A  floating  plant 
which  produces  no  flowers,  but  is  exceedingly  interesting 
on  account  of  the  delicacy  and  beauty  of  its  foliage, 
which  resembles  a  lovely  green  moss  or  Selaginella,  A 
small  plant  placed  in  a  pan  of  water  soon  covers  the 
whole  surface,  and  presents  an  appearance  something 
like  a  pan  of  "Selaginella  densa."  If  grown  out  of 
doors,  in  full  sunshine,  the  plant  assumes  a  reddish 
color.  It  is  entirely  hardy. 

DITCHER   PLANTS. 

As  these  are  water-loving  plants,  we  have  thought  best 
to  introduce  them  here.  Sarracenia  purpurea  is  per- 
fectly hardy.  S.  flava  and  S.  variolaris  have  stood  the 
winter  in  the  latitude  of  New  Jersey,  naturalized  in  a 
peat  bog.  The  most  of  this  class,  however,  are  best 
grown  in  pots  of  fine  peaty  soil,  surfaced  with  live  sphag- 
num, and  kept  standing  in  a  pan  of  water  in  the  green- 
house. 

Sarracenia  Drummondii  Alba. — The  pitchers  of  this 
are  two  feet  high,  slender  at  the  base  and  widening  at 


140  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

the  top  like  an  ordinary  tin  horn.  They  are  of  a  fine 
green,  except  that  towards  the  top  they  become  pure 
white,  netted  with  crimson  veins.  The  flowers  are  crim- 
son. This  is  the  most  beautiful  of  the  family. 

Sarracenia  Flava  (Trumpets). — This  is  the  largest  of 
all,  producing,  in  its  native  swamp,  handsome  green, 
trumpet-like  pitchers,  often  three  feet  high.  Flowers 
large,  yellow. 

Sarracenia  Purpurea. — This  hardy  northern  species  is 
not  unworthy  of  a  place  in  any  collection.  By  giving  it 
peaty  soil  and  moss,  it  may  be  naturalized  on  the  margin 
of  a  pond  or  stream.  Flowers  purple. 

Sarracenia  Variolaris. — Pitchers  from  twelve  to  eigh- 
teen inches  high,  very  curiously  hooded  at  the  top,  these 
hoods  being  spotted  with  white.  Flowers  yellow. 

Sarracenia  Ruhr  a. — A  small  growing  species,  with 
slender,  trumpet-shaped  leaves  of  a  reddish  color.  Very 
neat  when  grown  several  together  in  a  pot.  Flowers 
crimson  purple. 

Darlingtonia  Californica  (the  California  Pitcher 
Plant). — This  has  the  most  curiously-formed  pitchers  of 
any  of  the  tribe.  They  grow  to  the  hight  of  from  fifteen 
inches  to  two  and  a  half  feet,  and  have  some  resemblance 
to  those  of  the  Sarracenias,  but  differ  from  them  in  hav- 
ing the  upper  part  arch  over,  like  aa  inflated  hood,  and 
having  a  large  triangular  appendage  hanging  loosely  from 
it.  They  are  beautifully  mottled  with  white  and  veined 
with  red.  Flowers  straw-color  and  pale  purple. 

Dioncea  Mu&cipula  (Venus's  Fly-trap). — A  most  won- 
derful little  plant,  called  "Venus's  Fly-trap."  It  has 
strange,  trap-like  arrangements  at  the  ends  of  the  leaves, 
which,  owing  to  the  hair- like,  sensitive  organs  on  the 
inner  surface,  will  close  instantly  when  touched  by  an 
insect  or  any  light  substance.  It  is  grown  like  the 
Pitcher  Plants. 


CULTURE   OF   WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  141 

Drosera  Filiformis  and  D.  Rotundifolia. — Rare,  curi- 
ous, and  hardy  little  bog  plants,  with  pretty  lilac  and 
white  flowers. 

[Some  of  the  Pitcher  Plants,  together  with  the  Drosera 
and  Dioncea,  are  the  plants  claimed  by  Darwin  as  "  insect- 
eating  plants,"  and  on  which  he  wrote  a  large  volume  to 
prove  that  these  plants  caught  and  absorbed  insects  as 
food.  His  belief  has  been  severely  questioned,  and  at 
present  writing  the  discussion  is  far  from  being  settled. 
My  own  experiments,  which  have  been  very  elaborate, 
have  all  gone  to  prove  that  Mr.  Darwin's  theory  is  an 
error.— P.  H.] 

HARDY   AQUATICS. 

The  roots  of  the  native  American  Water  Lily  will  not 
endure  actual  freezing,  but  still  it  is  commonly  called 
hardy.  When  we  speak  of  an  aquatic  as  being  hardy,  we 
do  cot  mean  that  it  is  so  in  the  same  sense  that  Pseonias 
are,  but  that  it  will  endure  the  winter  when  placed  in 
the  water  below  the  reach  of  frost. 

THE  BEST  TIME  TO  PLANT. — The  hardy  Nymphaeas  and 
Nelumbiums  should  invariably  be  planted  during  spring 
and  early  summer.  It  may  be  done  up  to  the  first  of 
August,  but  never  in  the  fall,  if  it  can  be  avoided. 

Nymphcea  Odorata. — The  praises  of  our  fragrant  na- 
tive Water  Lily  can  never  be  too  highly  sung.  Its  lovely 
white  flowers  are  worthy  of  a  place  beside  the  most  costly 
exotics.  It  can  be  successfully  grown  in  a  tub,  and 
wintered  in  a  cellar.  It  does  well  in  one  of  the  beds  in 
the  Lily  tank,  but  a  more  satisfactory  way  than  either  is 
to  naturalize  it  in  a  pond  or  slow-running  stream.  Do 
not  tie  a  stone  to  it  and  sink  it,  as  many  recommend, 
but  push  it  carefully  into  the  mud  with  the  hands  or 
feet.  Where  the  mud  is  very  rich,  it  will  produce  flow- 
ers six  inches  and  leaves  thirteen  inches  across. 


142  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Nymphcea  Odorata  Minor. — A  variety  of  our  native 
Water  Lily,  possessing  the  same  qualities  of  hardiness 
and  fragrance,  but  producing  flowers  only  one  and  a  half 
or  two  inches  across.  Color,  white,  tinted  with  pink  on 
the  outside. 

Nymphcea  Odorata  Rosea  (Cape  Cod  Water  Lily). — 
This  is  the  famous  Pink  Water  Lily  of  Cape  Cod,  and  is 
the  grandest  acquisition  ever  made  to  our  list  of  hardy 
Nymphaeas.  It  possesses  all  the  desirable  qualities  of 
the  white-flowered  species,  hardiness,  freedom  of  bloom, 
and  delicious  fragrance,  with  the  added  charm  of  a  deep 
pink  color,  a  shade  somewhat  like  the  Eose  called  "  Her- 
mosa."  The  flowers  average  a  larger  size  than  the  white, 
and  are  in  great  demand  in  the  large  cities  and  at  water- 
ing-places during  their  season.  We  unhesitatingly  pro- 
nounce this  the  most  lovely  and  desirable  of  all  the  hardy 
W'ater  Lilies.  It  is  yet  scarce,  roots  costing  from  three  to 
five  dollars  each  ;  but  as  it  becomes  more  grown  it  will 
be  sold  much  lower. 

Nymphcea  Tuberosa. — This  is  quite  distinct  from  N. 
odorata,  having  flowers  from  four  to  seven  inches  in 
diameter,  pure  white,  with  a  faint  odor  like  that  of  ripe 
apples.  The  petals  are  broader  and  less  pointed  than 
those  of  N.  odorata.  The  leaves  are  sometimes  fifteen 
inches  wide. 

Nymphcea  Alia. — The  native  Water  Lily  of  Eng- 
land, possessing  the  same  early  and  late  blooming 
qualities  as  N.  candidissima,  but  with  smaller  flowers. 

Nymphcea  Alba  v.  Candidissima. — This  is  a  large-flow- 
ered variety  of  the  Water  Lily  of  England  and  other 
parts  of  Europe.  Though  not  a  tropical  species,  it  does 
not  object  to  a  warm  climate,  and  does  finely  under  the 
same  conditions  as  the  tender  ones.  When  naturalized 
in  still  water,  with  a  very  rich  soil,  it  will  produce  leaves 
thirteen  inches  wide  and  flowers  six  inches  in  diameter. 


CULTURE   OF  WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  143 

The  latter  are  pure  white,  the  petals  being  very  broad 
and  much  more  waxy  than  those  of  N.  odorata.  It  be- 
gins to  flower  earlier  than  that  species,  and  continues  in 
bloom  for  a  much  longer  time.  It  is  a  great  favorite. 

Nymphcea  Alba  v.  Rosea  (N.  alba  v.  sphcBrocarpa  rosed). 
— A  variety  which  was  first  discovered  in  Sweden,  and 
has  received  great  praise  in  Europe.  It  is  like  N.  alba, 
except  that  the  flowers  are  deep  pink,  shaded  to  lighter 
pink  at  the  edge.  Still  rare  and  very  costly. 

Nymphcea  Flava  (the  Yellow  Water  Lily). — A  charm- 
ing addition  to  any  collection,  having  leaves  variegated 
with  brown,  and  flowers  nearly  as  large  as  those  of  N. 
odorata.  They  are  of  a  bright  golden  yellow  color,  and 
deliciously  scented,  something  like  Locust-tree  blossoms, 
but  more  delicate.  Perfectly  hardy  at  the  North,  but 
should  have  a  warm  position  in  summer. 

Nymphcea  Pygmcea  (the  Dwarf  Chinese  Water  Lily). 
A  little  gem,  producing  leaves  from  two  to  three  inches 
across,  and  delicionsly  scented  white  flowers  no  larger 
than  a  silver  half  dollar,  which  open  at  noon  and  close  at 
sunset.  It  has  the  additional  merit  of  being  hardy. 

Nelumbium  Speciosum  (Egyptian  Lotus). — This  was 
cultivated  in  Egypt  in  most  ancient  times,  where  its  seed 
was  known  as  the  "  Sacred  Bean."  It  is  the  "  Sacred  Lo- 
tus "  of  India  and  China,  and  is  also  cultivated  in  Japan. 
This  wonderful  plant,  though  coming  from  such  tropical 
and  semi-tropical  regions,  has  proved  to  be  entirely  hardy 
in  this  country,  enduring  any  degree  of  cold  short  of  act- 
ual freezing.  I  have  for  many  winters  kept  it  in  water, 
upon  the  surface  of  which  ice  formed  from  four  to  eight 
inches  thick.  No  aquatic  plants  have  a  more  tropical  as- 
pect than  the  Nelumbium.  It  has  been  naturalized  in  one 
corner  of  a  mill-pond  at  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  where  "the 
mud  is  very  rich,  and  where,  in  summer,  could  have  been 
seen,  among  abundance  of  noble  leaves  from  one  to  two 


144  GAKDEN1XG   FOE    PLEASURE. 

feet  in  diameter,  a  hundred  buds  in  all  stages  of  develop- 
ment, and  one  hundred  expanded  flowers  at  one  time.  JV. 
luteum  is  a  beautiful  plant,  and  well  worthy  of  a  place  in 
any  collection,  but  N.  speciosum  far  surpasses  it  in  ease 
of  culture,  rapidity  of  growth,  and  freedom  of  bloom.  It 
will  flower  the  first  season  it  is  planted,  which  is  seldom 
the  case  with  N.  luteum,  and  is  constantly  in  bloom  from 
July  till  late  in  October.  In  the  "  Water  Lily  Garden," 
N.  speriosum  has  produced  some  leaves  thirty  inches 
across,  on  foot-stalks  five  and  six  feet  in  length,  and 
flower-stalks  of  a  total  length  of  from  five  to  seven  feet. 
The  first  day  the  flowers  appear  like  gigantic  Tea  Kose 
buds,  of  a  bright  rose  color.  The  second  day  they  open 
like  a  Tulip,  the  base  of  the  petals  being  creamy  white, 
most  beautifully  and  delicately  shaded  off  toward  the 
end  into  bright  pink.  In  their  last  stages  of  expansion 
they  measure  from  ten  to  thirteen  inches  from  tip  to  tip 
of  petals.  They  are  also  delightfully  fragrant.  The 
plant  is  of  a  rambling  nature,  and  spreads  rapidly  when 
placed  in  a  pond.  If  grown  in  a  Lily  tank,  along  with  a 
general  collection,  it  should  be  planted  in  the  separate 
compartments  specially  arranged  for  it.  It  may  be 
grown  in  a  large  tub,  but  better  in  basins  such  as  I 
have  described.  It  should  not  be  planted  till  the  grow- 
ing season  has  fully  arrived.  (See  fig.  41).  The  tubers 
cost  from  two  to  four  dollars  each,  according  to  size. 

Nelumbium  Luteum  (American  Lotus). — Though  a 
native  of  this  country,  it  is  not  common.  There  is 
scarcely  any  difference  between  this  and  N.  speciosum, 
except  in  the  color  of  the  flowers,  which  are  of  a  rich 
sulphur  yellow.  They  are  as  large  as  a  quart  bowl, 
and  have  a  strong  fragrance,  entirely  unlike  that  of  a 
Nymphaea.  Still,  warm  water  and  very  rich  soil  are  the 
conditions  for  success  with  these  noble  plants.  A  large 
patch  of  them,  with  hundreds  of  flowers  and  buds,  is  a 
sight  never  to  be  forgotten. 


CULTURE   OF   WATER   LILIES,    ETC.  145 

New  Japanese  Nelumbiums. — Their  habit  and  general 
appearance  are  the  same  as  N.  speciosum,  but  some  have 
larger  and  bolder  flowers,  of  a  more  globular  form, 
and  distinct  fragrance.  They  are  also  hardy,  like  the 
others.  Nelumbium  nuciferum  album  striatum. — The 
flowers  are  white,  with  the  edge  of  each  petal  irregularly 
marked  and  splashed  with  crimson.  A  magnificent  and 
distinct  variety.  Nelumbium  nuciferum  roseum. — This 
grand  new  Japanese  variety  has  flowers  of  a  uniform 
deep  rosy  pink  color,  something  like  Nymphcea  Devo- 
niensis  or  the  Cape  Cod  Lily,  and  much  darker  than 
N.  ttpeciosum.  One  of  the  finest  yet  introduced.  Ne- 
lumbium nuciferum  album  (White  Lotus). — I  have 
been  lavish  in  praise  of  the  pink  Lotus  (N.  speciosum}, 
and  have  nothing  to  retract.  Here  we  have  an  exceed- 
ingly beautiful  white  variety  without  a  tinge  of  pink 
color.  The  stamens  are  yellow,  and  the  receptacle 
shaded  green  and  yellow,  forming  a  novel  combination  of 
colors.  It  is  at  present  the  rarest  variety  now  in  cultiva- 
tion in  this  country,  and  is  still  costly. 

Japanese  Nelumbium  Seeds. — Nelumbium  nuciferum 
(mixed  varieties).  Those  who  wish  to  have  Lotus  flow- 
ers the  first  season  will,  of  course,  plant  tubers  ;  but  for 
those  who  are  willing  to  wait  a  year  or  two  for  bloom, 
seeds  can  be  used.  Each  nut  should  have  a  hole  the  size 
of  a  pin  drilled  in  its  shell  with  the  point  of  a  penknife, 
or  by  using  a  file,  to  allow  the  moisture  to  penetrate  the 
kernel,  or  otherwise  it  will  not  germinate.  The  nuts 
should  then  be  planted  in  warm  water  in  a  greenhouse, 
or,  if  it  is  desired  to  plant  them  in  a  pond,  it  should  not 
be  done  until  warm  weather,  and  then  in  water  about  one 
foot  deep.  They  may  be  either  dropped  in  the  water  and 
allowed  to  sink,  or  pressed  into  the  soil  two  or  three 
inches.  The  seeds  cost  about  one  dollar  per  dozen. 

Limnanthemum  Nympliceoides  (Villarsia). — This  Euro- 
pean relative  of  our  American  Floating  Heart  is  perfectly 


146  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

hardy.  Its  Nymphaea-like  leaves  are  variegated  with 
brown.  The  flowers,  which  are  freely  produced,  are 
about  an  inch  across,  of  a  golden  yellow  color,  beautifully 
fringed,  and  stand  erect  like  the  Water  Poppies.  Should 
be  grown  in  shallow  water. 

Limnanthemum  Lacunosum  (Floating  Heart). — A  na- 
tive species,  which  at  first  sight  appears  to  be  a  miniature 
Water  Lily.  Its  leaves  are  from  one  to  two  inches  in 
diameter,  beautifully  blotched  with  brown,  giving  them 
an  appearance  similar  to  those  of  the  Cyclamen.  The 
flowers  are  white,  about  half  an  inch  across,  and  very 
curiously  borne  upon  the  same  stem  which  bears  the 
leaves.  The  plant  blooms  freely  all  summer,  and  will 
grow  in  either  shallow  or  deep  water,  and  would  make  a 
charming  plant  for  the  aquarium. 

Aponogeton  Distachyon.—A.  highly  interesting  tuberous- 
rooted  water  plant,  which  seems  to  like  a  long  period  of 
rest.  It  may  be  entirely  dried  off  in  May  and  kept  dor- 
mant until  fall,  when  it  should  be  replanted  in  good  soil, 
in  a  tub  or  large  pan.  It  may  then  be  placed  in  a  green- 
house, where  it  will  flower  profusely  all  winter.  It  is 
hardy  if  planted  in  a  pond.  Its  leaves  are  oblong,  about 
six  inches  by  two.  The  pearly-white  flowers,  with  black 
anthers,  are  produced  in  curious  fork-shaped  spikes,  and 
are  deliciously  scented. 

Trapa  Natans  (the  Water  Chestnut). — This  is  a 
hardy  annual  aquatic,  bearing,  from  the  midst  of  a 
rosette  of  green  leaves,  small  white  flowers,  which  are 
followed  by  good-sized  nuts  with  several  sharp  thorns. 
These  nuts  are  edible,  and  taste  something  like  a  cocoa- 
nut.  After  once  being  planted  in  a  pond  it  will  repro- 
duce itself  from  year  to  year. 

Juncus  Taker ncemontana,  usually  known  as  J.  Ze- 
bnnus  (the  Porcupine  Plant). — This  is  a  true  rush, 
growing  from  one  and  a  half  to  three  feet  high,  produc- 


THE   CHRYSANTHEMUM.  147 

ing  leaves  variegated  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  a 
porcupine  quill,  with  alternate  bands  of  green  jmd  pure 
white.  It  may  be  grown  either  as  an  aquatic  or  as  a  gar- 
den plant,  but  should  never  be  grown  with  the  crowns 
of  the  plant  under  water,  for  then  the  leaves  lose  much 
of  their  variegation.  Perfectly  hardy. 

Sagitiaria  Kagittifolia  Fl.  PI.  (Double  Flowered  Ar- 
row-Head). — The  foliage  of  this  plant  is  similar  to  our 
native  species,  but  the  flowers  are  an  immense  improve- 
ment, rnak.'ng  it  one  of  the  most  charming  additions  to 
any  collection  of  aquatics.  The  flowers  are  borne  on 
spikes  two  feet  high  ;  are  as  large,  full,  and  double  as 
the  finest  Carnation  or  double  Balsam,  and  as  white  us 
the  driven  snow.  Perfectly  hardy. 

Sagittaria  Variabilis  (the  Arrow-Head). — A  native 
plant  suicable  for  shallow  water,  growing  about  two 
feet  high,  bearing  arrow-shaped  leaves  and  pearly- white 
flowers. 

Pontederia  Cordata. — Another  interesting  plant  for 
shallow  water,  with  heart-shaped  leaves  and  spikes  of 
blue  flowers,  produced  all  summer. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 
THE    CHRYSANTHEMUM. 

NEXT  to  the  Rose,  no  plant  is  now  so  popular  as  the 
Chrysanthemum.  It  is  only  some  ten  or  twelve  years 
since,  in  this  country,  its  great  value  as  an  ornamental 
plant  for  the  fall  and  early  winter  months  has  been  fully 
realized,  although  it  has  been  long  valued  in  Europe, 
where  it  forms  the  great  attraction  in  all  the  floral  exhi- 
bitions of  autumn.  The  first  great  Chrysanthemum 
Show  was  given  in  New  York  some  five  years  ago,  and 


148  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

since  then,  every  November,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  and 
other  large  cities  have  vied  with  New  York  in  getting  up 
these  exhibitions,  which  have  attracted  tens  of  thousands 
of  visitors.  The  fashion  is  now  spreading  into  the 
smaller  cities  and  towns,  so  that  the  day  is  not  far  dis- 
tant when  this  most  beautiful  of  all  autumn  flowers  will 
be  found  in  every  hamlet  on  the  continent,  whose  occu- 
pants have  any  taste  for  flowers. 

It  is  the  floral  emblem  of  Japan,  just  as  the  Thistle  is 
of  Scotland  or  the  Fleur  de  Luce  of  France,  and  there  is 
hardly  a  home  in  that  flowery  land  so  poor  that  it  is  not 
ornamented  with  one  or  more  varieties  of  the  ''Autumn 
Queen."  In  the  gardens  of  the  Mikado,  which  contain 
marvelous  varieties  of  this  plant,  they  are  trained  on 
wire  frames  to  represent  animals  of  all  descriptions. 
White  elephants,  yellow  cows,  and  crimson  dogs  are  by 
no  means  rarities  in  the  grounds  of  the  Mikado.  The 
Chrysanthemum,  too,  is  put  to  another  use  in  Japan. 
When  a  rural  swain  makes  up  his  mind  to  sue  for  the 
hand  of  some  rustic  belle,  his  first  advance  is  to  place  on 
her  doorstep  as  fine  a  specimen  of  a  Chrysanthemum  as 
he  can  procure.  If  it  is  watered,  tended,  and  cared  for, 
he  knows  he  may  "call  again;"  but  if  neglected,  and 
allowed  to  wither  and  die,  so  dies  out  the  hope  of  the 
unfortunate  "  Jap,"  so  far  as  that  particular  damsel  is 
concerned. 

The  cultivation  of  the  Chrysanthemum  is  exceed- 
ingly simple.  If  the  plants  are  wanted  to  flower 
only  in  the  open  ground,  all  that  is  necessary  is 
to  plant  them  in  the  open  border  in  any  good  ground, 
well  enriched  with  manure.  If  possible,  plant  them  in  a 
warm,  sheltered  spot,  particularly  in  any  section  north 
of  Baltimore  ;  for,  being  the  latest  of  all  flowers  of  au- 
tumn, a  better  development  will  be  had  if  they  are 
planted  in  a  place  sheltered  by  a  fence,  hill,  or  shrubbery. 
As  they  are  all  sold  grown  in  pots,  they  can  be  planted 


THE    CHRYSANTHEMUM.  149 

out  any  time  from  April  to  July,  though  preference  may 
be  given  to  May.  They  form  an  average  width  by  Oc- 
tober of  two  feet  in  diameter,  if  the  tops  are  pinched  off 
so  as  to  make  them  bushy.  They  should  be  set  out  about 
two  feet  apart  each  way.  The  "topping"  or  "pinch- 
ing "  back,  as  it  is  called,  should  not  be  done  later  than 
the  first  of  August ;  for,  if  much  later,  it  might  destroy 
the  flowering  to  some  extent. 

House  Culture. — When  wanted  to  be  grown  for  green- 
house or  house  culture,  the  best  plan  for  amateurs  is  to 
put  each  plant,  when  received,  in  a  flower  pot  six,  seven, 
or  eight  inches  wide  and  deep.  Plunge  these  pots  to  the 
rims  in  the  open  ground,  level  with  the  soil,  treating 
them  exactly  the  same  as  recommended  for  planting  in 
the  open  border,  by  pinching,  etc.  Care  should,  however, 
be  taken  to  turn  the  flower  pots  round  every  eight  or  ten 
days,  so  as  to  prevent  the  roots  from  getting  through 
the  bottom  of  the  pot,  the  object  being  to  confine  all  the 
roots  within  the  pot.  This  same  plan  is  the  best  for 
amateurs  who  cultivate  any  kind  of  plant  to  grow  in  the 
house  or  greenhouse  in  winter.  Although  the  Chrysan- 
themum is  entirely  hardy,  so  that  even  the  flower  buds 
will  stand  quite  a  freeze  without  injury,  yet,  to  get  the 
best  effect  from  the  plants  designed  for  house  culture, 
they  should  be  taken  indoors  by  October  1st. 

How  to  Grow  for  Spring  Flowering. — Although  the 
Chrysanthemum  is  generally  only  grown  for  the  fall  and 
early  winter  months,  yet,  by  taking  the  first  young  shoots 
that  start  from  the  root  of  the  old  plants  which  are  flow- 
ering in  the  fall  (say  by  the  middle  of  November),  and 
placing  them  in  the  propagating  bed,  they  will  root  m  a 
few  days.  If  grown  on  in  the  ordinary  greenhouse  tem- 
perature during  winter,  shifting  them  into  larger  pots  as 
their  necessities  require,  by  April  they  make  fine  flower- 
ing plants.  The  past  season  we  grew  a  few  hundred  in 
this  manner,  that  made  grand  plants  for  church  decora- 


150 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


tion  at  Easter,  on  the  10th  of  April.  They  were  grown 
in  six-inch  pots,  and  averaged  fifteen  expanded  flowers  to 
a  plant. 

The  large  Chrysanthemum  flowers  which  are  seen  at 
the  exhibitions  are  obtained  by  pinching  off  all  the  buds 


Fig.  45. — CHRYSANTHEMUM  MRS.   BRETT. 

but  one  on  each  shoot,  just  as  soon  as  the  buds  can  be 
seen.  This  is  called  "disbudding."  In  this  way,  many 
kinds  of  Chrysanthemum  flowers  can  be  obtained  six 
inches  in  diameter.  This  is  the  method  used  to  obtain 


THE   CHRYSANTHEMUM.  151 

all  the  fine  flowers  seen  at  the  exhibitions.  It  is  deceiv- 
ing, however,  to  those  unacquainted  with  the  plan,  be- 
cause a  flower  so  obtained,  six  or  seven  inches  in  diam- 
eter, if  grown  with  half  a  dozen  flowers  on  the  same 
shoot,  would  not  be  half  the  size.  Hence  amateurs,  who 
have  selected  special  kinds  from  the  cut-flower  tables  at 
exhibitions,  must  not  be  disappointed  at  finding  them 
half  the  size  when  they  flower,  unless  they  use  the  same 
process  of  disbudding  to  obtain  large  flowers. 

I  give  here  a  list  of  varieties,  such  as  are  esteemed  the 
best  at  the  date  at  which  this  is  written  (1887),  though  it 
is  likely  that  in  ten  years  some  of  them  will  be  superseded 
by  better  kinds ;  but  a  list  is  necessary  to  show  to  our 
amateur  readers  the  range  of  color  and  style  embraced 
by  the  Chrysanthemum. 

Early  Varieties. — Although  all  of  the  Chrysanthe- 
mums are  early  enough  to  perfect  their  flowers  in  the 
open  ground  south  of  Baltimore,  yet,  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  York  and  further  north,  many  of  the  late  kinds 
sometimes  do  not ;  hence  we  name  this  early  collection 
for  the  benefit  of  residents  of  extreme  Northern  States. 
Bouquet  Nationale,  fine  large  double  flower;  pure  white, 
with  lemon  center.  Bouquet  Fait,  delicate  rosy  lilac, 
shaded  silvery  white.  Elaine,  beautiful  waxy  white  ; 
perfect  form  ;  extra  fine.  Red  Dragon,  dark  yellow, 
streaked  bronze  and  crimson.  Gloriosum,  bright  sul- 
phur yellow  ;  very  free  flowering.  Geo.  Glenny,  a  fine 
old  early  yellow,  incurved.  J.  Collins,  salmon  maroon, 
shaded  bronze.  Mrs.  Brett  (figure  45),  sulphur  yel- 
low, forming  a  complete  ball.  M.  Lemoine,  dark  yellow, 
streaked  bronze  and  crimson.  Mad.  Grame,  pure  white  ; 
fine  incurved  flower.  Mrs.  S.  Lyon,  large  single  white, 
golden  center.  Sonce  d'Or,  intense  yellow,  shaded  old 
gold. 

Late  or  "Christmas." — Under  this  heading  we  name  the 
very  latest  flowering  varieties  ;  such  kinds  as  perfect  their 


152 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


flowers  in  the  house  about  the  " holiday"  season.  Most 
of  these  kinds  would  be  too  late  in  flowering  for  any  sec- 
tion north  of  Baltimore  in  the  open  air,  but  would 
bloom  freely  out  of  doors  south,  some  of  the  kinds  lasting 
up  to  Christmas.  Betid  d'Or,  pure  golden  yellow.  As 


Fig.  46.— CHRYSANTHEMUM  CULLINGFOBDI. 

the  flowers  mature,  the  petals  lap  over,  forming  ribbon- 
like  bells.  Cullingfordi  (figure  46),  crimson,  shaded  ma- 
roon. Count  of  Germany,  bronze  and  old  gold.  Christ- 
mas Eve,  pure  snow  white.  Fantasie,  pink,  shading  to 


PARLOR   GARDENING.  153 

white.  Fair  Maid  of  Guernsey,  clear  dazzling  white  ; 
immense  ball-like  flowers.  Golden  Dragon,  very  large  ; 
dark  golden  yellow  ;  broad,  heavy  petals.  Jupiter,  brill- 
iant reddish  crimson.  James  Salter,  clear  light  yellow; 
beautifully  incurved  as  the  flower  opens.  Lord  Byron, 
dark,  rich  crimson,  shaded  old  gold.  Lady  Slade,  deli- 
cate purple  pink  ;  beautifully  incurved.  Mrs.  C.  L.  Al- 
len, carmine,  yellow  center.  Moonlight,  immense  size ; 
beautiful  lemon  white.  Mrs.  C.  H.  Wlieeler,  upper  part 
of  petals  deep  yellow,  under  vermilion.  Maid  of  Athens, 
very  large ;  pure  snow  white.  Talford  Sailer,  dwarf, 
compact  grower ;  rich  crimson,  streaked  golden  bronze. 
Yelloiv  Eagle,  very  large  ;  dark  golden  yellow  ;  ribbon- 
like  petals. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

PARLOR   GARDENING,  OR  THE   CULTIVATION  OF 
PLANTS  IN  ROOMS. 

PARLOR  GARDENING  has,  to  some  extent,  been  treated 
of  under  the  head  of  "Winter-Flowering  Plants,"  but  a 
few  additional  general  directions  for  plants  not  specially 
designed  for  winter  flowering  may  be  acceptable.  One 
of  the  conditions  essential  to  success  is  to  start  with 
healthy  plants.  Even  all  the  professional  skill  of  the 
florist,  with  all  his  appliances,  will  often  fail  to  get  a 
sickly  plant  into  a  healthy  condition.  What,  then,  can 
the  amateur  florist  expect  to  do  in  the  often  unequal 
temperature  and  dry  atmosphere  of  a  sitting-room  or 
parlor  ?  If  the  plants  are  purchased  from  the  florist  in 
autumn,  to  grow  in  the  house,  they  are  likely  to  be 
healthy,  and  are  usually  in  a  condition  to  shift  into  a  pot 
one  size  larger  ;  instructions  for  doing  which  are  given  in 
the  chapter  on  "  Winter-Flowering  Plants."  But  if  the 


154  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

plants  to  be  cultivated  in  the  house  are  such  as  have  been 
growing  in  your  own  flower  borders,  plants  that  were  set 
out  in  spring,  and  have  now  the  full  summer's  luxuriant 
growth  still  on  them,  then  proper  precaution  must  be 
taken  in  lifting  them  and  placing  them  in  pots,  or  the 
result  is  certain  to  be  most  unsatisfactory.  What  may 
seem  to  the  novice  a  little  singular  is,  that  the  more 
luxuriant  the  growth  of  the  plant  in  the  open  border, 
the  more  danger  there  is  that  it  will  wilt  or  die  when 
lifted  in  the  fall,  and  placed  in  a  pot.  The  reason  of 
this  is  obvious,  when  it  is  known  that  just  in  proportion 
to  the  top  growth  of  a  plant  is  the  wide-spread  develop- 
ment of  roots,  and,  therefore,  when  you  lift  a  finely- 
grown  Geranium  or  Kose  in  October,  it  is  next  to  impos- 
sible, if  it  is  to  be  got  into  a  suitable  sized  flower  pot,  to 
do  so  without  such  mutilation  of  the  young  roots  as  will 
certainly  kill  it,  if  precaution  is  not  taken  to  cut  off  at 
least  two-thirds  of  its  branches.  If  the  plant  is  thus 
potted,  and  kept  as  dry  as  it  will  stand,  without  actually 
withering,  until  it  starts  into  growth,  you  may  hope  to 
have  a  fairly  healthy  specimen  by  December,  if  the  lifting 
was  done  in  October.  But  this  practice,  though  often 
one  of  necessity,  is  never  satisfactory.  If  the  plants  that 
have  done  service  in  the  borders  in  summer  are  to  be 
used  as  ornaments  for  the  parlor  in  fall,  winter,  and 
spring,  they  must  have  a  different  treatment. 

All  plants  that  are  intended  for  future  culture  in 
rooms  should  be  potted  in  the  usual  way,  in  five  or  six- 
inch  pots,  when  set  out  in  May  or  June.  These  pots 
should  be  set  in  the  flower  borders,  but  planted  or 
"plunged,"  as  it  is  called,  so  that  the  rim  of  the  pot 
is  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  plants  will 
flower  in  these  pots,  if  so  desired,  nearly  as  well  as  if  set 
directly  in  the  open  ground  ;  but  if  wanted  for  flowering 
in  winter,  they  will  bloom  much  better  to  have  the  flower 
buds  picked  off  as  fall  approaches.  It  is  also  indispensa- 


PARLOR   GARDENING.  155 

bly  necessary  that  the  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot  be 
entirely  stopped,  so  that  the  roots  cannot  get  through 
while  growing  in  the  open  border  in  summer.  The 
object  is  to  confine  the  roots  completely  within  the 
bounds  of  the  pot,  so  that,  when  taken  up  in  the  fall  to 
be  shifted  into  a  larger  pot,  the  roots  will  be  undisturbed, 
and  the  plant  will  grow  on  unchecked.  If  this  is  not 
done,  and  the  roots  Snd  their  way  through  the  bottom 
of  the  pot,  there  will  be  the  same  difficulty  with  the  roots 
as  if  they  had  not  been  potted.  About  the  best  time  to 
take  plants  in-doors  in  this  latitude  is  the  middle  of 
October ;  in  colder  localities,  earlier,  of  course,  and  in 
warmer,  later ;  always  bearing  in  mind  that  the  longer 
they  can  be  kept  in  the  open  air,  provided  they  are  safe 
from  frost,  the  better.  Plants  suited  for  parlor  culture, 
requiring  a  temperature  of  from  forty-five  to  fifty-five 
degrees  at  night,  with  an  average  of  ten  to  twenty  de- 
grees higher  during  the  day,  are  as  follows.  These  are 
known  as  greenhouse  plants.  For  descriptions  see  cata- 
logues of  florists  and  nurserymen. 

*Abutilons.  Holland  Bulbs  of  all  kinds. 

Acacias.  Hoyas  (Wax  Plant). 

*Agapanthus.  Ivies,  parlor  and  hardy. 

Ageratums.  Jessamines,  Cape. 

Anthemis.  *Jessamines,  Catalonian. 

Asparagus,  Climbing.  Lily  of  the  Valley. 

Azaleas.  Lobelias. 

Calceolarias.  *Mahemias. 

*Callas.  Marguerites,  white  and  yellow. 

Camellias.  *Mesembryanthemums  (Wax  Pink). 

*Carnations.  Mimulus  (Musk). 

Chorizema.  *Myrsiphyllum  or  Smilax. 

Chrysanthemums.  Oleanders. 

Cinerarias.  Oranges. 

Cupheas.  Oxalis. 

Cyclamens.  Petunias. 

Daphnes.  *Primulas,  double  and  single. 

*Ferns,  Climbing.  *Roses. 

Feverfews.  Stevia. 

•Fuchsias.  Vincas. 

Geraniums  (Pelargoniums).  Violets. 


156  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

What  are  known  us  hothouse  or  tropical  plants  re- 
quire a  higher  temperature  than  the  preceding,  and  can- 
not be  well  grown  unless  with  a  night  temperature  of 
from  sixty  to  seventy  degrees,  and.  a  day  temperature 
of  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees  higher.  The  following,  of 
most  of  which  there  are  several  varieties,  can  be  found 
described  in  the  catalogues  of  dealers  : 

Allamandas.  Ferns,  tropical. 

Allocasias.     -  Heliotropes. 

Begonias.  Hibiscus. 

Bouvardias.  Impatiens. 

Caladiums.  Marantas. 

Cissus.  Orchids  (of  all  kinds). 

Clerodendrons.  Passifloras. 

Cobaeas.  Peperomias. 

Coleus.  Poinsettia. 

Crotons.  Salvias. 

Dracaenas.  Sanchezias. 

Epiphyllums  (Cactus).  Torenias. 

Eranthemums.  Tropaeolums. 

Euphorbias.  Tuberoses. 

This  matter  of  temperature  has  everything  to  do  with 
the  successful  cultivation  of  plants  in  rooms,  or,  in  fact, 
anywhere.  If  you  attempt,  for  example,  to  grow  Bou- 
vardias or  Begonias  in  an  average  temperature  of  forty- 
five  degrees  at  night,  the  plants  will  barely  live,  and  will 
not  flower,  nor  be  healthy.  On  the  other  hand,  if  you 
subject  your  Camellias  or  Geraniums  to  an  average  of 
sixty-five  degrees  at  night  by  fire  heat  in  winter,  you  are 
almost  certain  to  have  the  flowers  drop  prematurely.  As 
a  rule,  there  are  more  of  the  plants  known  as  greenhouse 
that  will  endure  the  high  temperature  necessary  for  the 
hothouse  plants,  than  there  are  of  the  hothouse  plants 
that  can  stand  the  low  temperature,  so  that,  when  no 
distinction  can  be  made,  and  a  high  temperature  only 
can  be  had,  all  in  the  list  of  greenhouse  plants  I  have 
marked  with  a  *  may  be  grown  fairly  well  in  the  high 
temperature,  though  they  would  do  better  in  the  low  one. 


PARLOR   GARDENING.  157 

The  culture  of  plants  in  rooms  is  already  described  in 
the  chapter  on  "Winter-Flowering  Plants,"  so  that  I 
need  not  further  allude  to  it,  except  to  hint  in  regard  to 
the  manner  of  placing  the  plants.  One  of  the  cheapest 
and  neatest  contrivances  is  the  "folding  plant  stand" 
(figure  47).  The  sizes  are  from  three  to  six  feet  wide 
and  eight  feet  high,  having  from  four  to  six  shelves,  and 
capable  of  holding  from  twenty-five  to  one  hundred 
plants.  It  is  hinged  so  as  to  fold  up  like  a  camp  stool, 
the  shelves  fitting  in  between 
the  frames,  and  it  can  be  thus 
shipped  or  stowed  away  when 
not  wanted,  with  great  con- 
venience. Rollers  can  be  at- 
tached to  the  feet,  so  that  it 
may  be  moved  about  as  easily 
as  a  table  ;  a  great  advantage 
in  cold  nights,  when  it  can 
be  drawn  awav  from  the  win- 

j  £    j.1         Fig.  47. — FOLDING  PLANT  STAND. 

dow  to  a  warmer  part  of  the 

room  or  to  another  room.  Plants,  when  placed  on  this,  or 
similar  stands,  may  be  provided  with  saucers,  so  that  the 
floor  or  carpet  need  not  be  injured  while  watering.  It  is 
not  a  good  plan,  however,  to  keep  water  in  the  saucers. 
It  is  always  a  safer  way  of  feeding  the  plant  to  water  the 
soil  on  the  top,  giving  only  enough  for  it  to  reach  the 
bottom,  where,  if  any  water  pass  through,  it  will  be  held 
by  the  saucer.  If  no  saucers  are  used,  and  we  think 
plants  are  generally  grown  more  safely  without  them, 
the  best  plan  is  to  take  down  the  plants  from  the  stand 
(three  times  a  week  will  usually  be  enough),  to  some 
place  where  the  water  will  not  do  any  injury,  and  give  a 
good  soaking  to  all  such  as  appear  to  be  dry  ;  those  not 
so  dry,  water  more  sparingly,  and  give  those  in  which  the 
soil  shows  that  it  is  wet,  none  whatever.  Let  the  water 
drain  off,  pick  off  any  dead  leaves,  and  replace  the  pots 


158  GARDENING  FOR   PLEASURE. 

again  on  the  stand,  being  careful  to  change  them  as  far 
as  possible,  so  that  each  side  of  the  plant  may  get  its  fair 
share  of  light.  If  the  same  part  is  always  placed  to  the 
light,  the  plant  will  soon  become  drawn  to  one  side. 

ARE  PLANTS  IN   ROOMS  INJURIOUS  TO  HEALTH  ? 

The  question  whether  plants  may  be  safely  grown  in 
living  rooms  is  now  settled  by  scientific  men,  who  show 
that,  whatever  deleterious  gases  may  be  given  out  by 
plants  at  night,  they  are  so  minute  in  quantity  that  no 
injury  is  ever  done  by  their  presence  in  the  rooms  and  by 
being  inhaled.  Though  we  were  glad  to  see  the  question 
disposed  of  by  such  authority,  experience  had  already 
shown  that  no  bad  effects  ever  resulted  from  living  in 
apartments  where  plants  were  grown.  Our  greenhouses 
are  one  mass  of  foliage,  and  I  much  doubt  if  any  healthier 
class  of  men  can  be  found  than  those  engaged  in  the  care 
of  plants.  But  timid  persons  may  say  that  the  deleteri- 
ous gases  are  given  out  only  at  night,  while  our  green- 
house operatives  are  only  employed  in  daylight.  This  is 
only  true  in  part.  Our  watchmen  and  men  engaged  in 
attending  to  fires  at  night  make  the  warm  greenhouses 
their  sitting-room  and  their  sleeping-room,  and  I  have 
yet  to  hear  of  the  first  instance  where  the  slightest  injury 
resulted  from  this  practice.  Many  of  our  medical  prac- 
titioners run  in  old  ruts.  Some  Solomon  among  them 
probably  gave  out  this  dogma  a  century  ago  ;  it  was 
made  the  convenient  scapegoat  of  some  other  cause  of 
sickness,  and  the  rank  and  file  have  followed  in  his  train. 
A  belief  in  this  error  often  consigns  to  the  cellar,  or  to 
the  cold  winds  of  winter,  the  treasured  floral  pets  of  a 
household. 


WARDIAN  CASES,  FERXEBIES,  AND  JA.RDINIEBES.     159 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 
WARDIAN  CASES,  FERNERIES,  AND  JARDINIERES. 

THE  forms  of  plant  cases  for  the  growth  of  such  plants 
as  require  a  moist,  still  atmosphere,  a  condition  impossi- 
ble to  obtain  in  a  room  in  a  dwelling-house,  nor  even  in 
a  greenhouse,  unless  it  is  specially  erected  for  the  pur- 
pose, are  numerous.  The  form  commonly  known  as  the 
Wardian  Case  (figure  48)  has  a  base  or  tray,  usually  of 
black  walnut,  about  six  inches  deep,  and  lined  with  zinc, 
and  glass  sides  and  top.  These  differ  in  size,  some 


Fig.  48. — WARDIAN  CASE.       Fig.  49. — FERNERY  WITH  GLASS  SHADE. 

being  as  large  as  three  feet  on  the  sides.  .Another  neat 
and  cheaper  form  is  made  of  terra  cotta  (figure  49),  or 
other  earthen  ware.  These  are  usually  round  in  shape, 
and  of  various  sizes,  from  nine  to  eighteen  inches  in  di- 
ameter. In  all  these  the  plants  must  be  covered  with 
glass.  In  the  Wardian  Case  there  is  glass  all  around  the 
sides  and  top,  the  top  being  hinged  to  allow  the  escape 
of  excess  of  moisture.  In  the  Jardinieres,  or  circular 


160  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

form,  the  plants  are  covered  by  a  bell-glass,  which  is 
tilted  up  a  little  at  the  side  when  there  is  an  appearance 
of  excess  of  moisture.  This  condition  of  excess  is  known 
by  the  glass  becoming  dimmed  by  moisture,  and  the  water 
trickling  down  the  side.  Usually,  when  this  appear- 
ance is  seen,  by  raising  the  glass  lid  of  the  Wardian  Case 
an  inch  or  so  for  a  day,  it  will  relieve  it  enough  to  enable 
it  to  be  kept  close,  which  is  the  proper  way  to  keep  it  for 
the  well-being  of  the  plants.  The  plants  grown  in  this  way 
are  of  kinds  valued  for  the  beauty  of  their  foliage  rather 
than  for  their  flowers,  and  should  be  such  as  are  of  a  some- 
what slow  growth.  All  rampant  growing  plants,  such  as 
Coleus,  are  unsuited.  The  effectiveness  of  these  Cases 
depends  a  great  deal  on  the  arrangement  of  the  plants. 
The  tallest  and  most  conspicuous  things  should  be  in  the 
center,  with  smaller  ones  towards  the  edges,  varying  the 
interest  by  contrasting  the  different  colorings  and  forms 
of  leaves.  Among  the  plants  best  suited  for  growing 
under  these  glass  coverings  are  Dracaenas,  Gymnostachi- 
ums,  Marantas,  Caladmms,  some  of  the  ornamental 
leaved  Eranthemums,  and  dwarf -growing  Begonias,  Pe- 
peromias,  etc.,  and  Ferns  and  Lyeopods  of  the  finer  sorts. 
The  most  of  these  are  plants  whose  natural  habitat  is 
shady  woods  or  marshes ;  and  for  their  well  being,  the 
nearer  that  the  Wardian  Case  or  Jardiniere  can  be  made 
to  imitate  such,  the  better. 

The  soil  used  in  these  cases  should  be  light  and  porous. 
The  most  convenient,  and  a  very  suitable  material,  is  leaf 
mold,  which  can  be  got  in  any  piece  of  woodland.  After 
planting,  the  soil  should  be  watered  freely,  to  settle  it 
around  the  roots.  To  allow  evaporation,  ventilation 
should  be  given  for  a  few  days  after  the  watering,  when 
the  glass  may  be  put  down  close,  only  to  be  opened,  as 
before  directed,  when  an  excess  of  moisture  shows  on  the 
glass.  Other  than  this  there  is  no  trouble  whatever  in 
the  management.  The  watering  given  on  planting  will 


GREENHOUSES   ATTACHED   TO    DWELLINGS.  161 

be  sufficient  to  keep  it  moist  enough  for  six  or  eight 
weeks.  In  winter  the  temperature  of  the  room  in  which 
the  Wardian  Case  or  Fernery  is  kept  may  run  from  fifty 
to  seventy  degrees  at  night.  These  closed  Cases  of  either 
kind  are  particularly  well  adapted  for  growing  Hyacinths 
in  winter,  if  desired  ;  but  they  must  first  be  placed  in 
some  cool,  dark  place,  so  that  the  roots  may  be  formed 
before  being  brought  into  the  light.  (See  special  in- 
structions on  this  head  under  "Fall  or  Holland  Bulbs.'') 
When  the  Cases  are  brought  into  the  room  they  will  re- 
quire daily  ventilation.  The  Lily  of  the  Valley  can  also 
be  grown  finely  in  a  Wardian  Case.  (See  '"Fall  or  Hol- 
land Bulbs.") 


CHAPTER     XXVII. 
GREENHOUSES  ATTACHED  TO  DWELLINGS. 

THE  taste  engendered  by  growing  plants  in  rooms 
often  results  in  a  desire  to  have  more  appropriate  quarters 
for  the  plants,  and  a  greenhouse  follows.  This  always 
affords  the  most  satisfaction  when  it  is  so  attached  to  the 
dwelling,  that  opening  a  door  or  window  from  the  dining- 
room  or  parlor  reveals  the  glories  of  the  greenhouse. 
The  greenhouse,  when  attached  to  the  dwelling,  should 
be  always  on  the  east,  southeast,  south,  or  southwest 
sides,  never  on  the  north,  if  flowering  plants  are  to  be 
grown  ;  though  Ferns,  Lycopods,  Palms,  and  other 
plants  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their  form  or  foliage,  will 
do  quite  well  in  the  shade  of  a  northern  aspect.  It  may 
be  of  any  length  or  width  desired.  If  of  ten  feet  width, 
it  will  cost  for  erection  from  forty  to  sixty  cents  per 
square  foot  of  the  glass  surface,  according  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  work.  If  twenty  feet  wide,  from  forty  to 


162 


GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 


fifty  cents  per  square  foot.  This  is  exclusive  of  heating, 
which,  if  done  by  hot-water  pipes,  will  cost  for  ten  feet 
wide,  about  forty  cents  per  square  foot  of  the  glass  sur- 
face ;  if  twenty  feet  wide,  about  the  same.  Thus,  to 
complete  a  conservatory,  with  heating  apparatus,  shelves, 
etc.,  ten  feet  wide  by  forty  feet  long,  would  cost  about 


Fig.  50.—  BASE-BURNER.  Fig.  51.— SECTION. 

$400  ;  if  twenty  by  forty  feet,  about  $700.  In  this  esti- 
mate it  is  assumed  that'  the  heating  is  to  be  done  by 
the  Base-burning  Water-heater  of  Hitchings  &  Co., 
or  other  similar  heater.  This  heating  apparatus  is  of 
comparatively  recent  invention,  and  is  exceedingly  well 
adapted  for  the  purpose,  as  the  fire  requires  no  more  at- 


GREENHOUSES  ATTACHED  TO   DWELLINGS.          163 


Fig.  52.— ELEVATION  OP  CONSERVATORY  ATTACHED  TO  DWELLlNfl. 


-30- 


I 


Fig.  53. — GROUND  PLAN  OF  CONSERVATORY,  FIG.  52. 


164 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


tention  than  any  base-burning  stove.  The  boiler  takes 
up  no  more  room  than  an  ordinary  stove,  and  requires  no 
setting.  It  is  shown  in  figure  50,  and  in  section  in  fig- 
ure 51.  It  is  fed  by  coal  from  the  top,  and  can  be  left 
with  safety  ten  or  twelve  hours  without  any  attention. 


Fig.  54. — CONSERVATORY  ATTACHED  TO  DWELLING. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that,  in  constructing  the  con- 
servatory, it  must  be  built  where  a  chimney  is  accessible 
by  which  to  carry  off  the  smoke  from  the  boiler  or  water 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  1G5 

heater,  just  as  would  be  necessary  for  an  ordinary  stove. 
If  the  greenhouse  is  small  enough  to  be  heated  by  a 
register  from  the  furnace  or  steam  boiler  that  heats  the 
dwelling,  much  of  the  cost  may  be  saved,  as  it  will  be 
seen  that  nearly  half  of  the  cost  of  construction  is  the 
heating  apparatus.  Figure  52  shows  a  front  elevation  of 
a  conservatory  suitable  to  attach  to  dwellings.  It  is  six- 
teen feet  wide  and  thirty  feet  in  length.  Its  ground  plan, 
showing  the  arrangement  of  the  benches  and  walks,  is 
given  in  figure  53.  Such  a  structure  in  every  way  com- 
plete, heated  with  the  Hitchings  Base-burning  Water- 
heater,  should  not  exceed  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents 
per  foot  of  glass  surface,  or  $600. 

Figure  54  shows  a  more  elegant  style  of  conservatory 
attached  to  a  dwelling.  The  size  is  sixteen  by  sixteen; 
hight,  twelve  feet.  The  estimated  cost  complete,  with 
heating  apparatus  included,  for  every  square  foot  of  glass 
surface  covered,  at  four  dollars  per  foot,  would  be  $1,024. 
If  heated  from  the  boiler  or  furnace  used  to  heat  the 
dwelling,  perhaps  one-third  less.  This  design  is  given 
by  Lord  &  Burnham,  horticultural  architects. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 
DETACHED  GREENHOUSES,  MODES  OF  HEATING,  ETC. 

When  more  extended  glass  structures  are  desired  they 
must,  of  course,  be  detached  from  the  dwelling  or  other 
buildings  ;  and  if  shelter,  without  shade,  can  be  had 
from  hills,  woods,  or  buildings  from  the  north  or  north- 
west, so  much  the  better.  When  greenhouses,  graperies, 
rose  houses,  or  other  greenhouse  structures  are  wanted 
for  forcing  flowers  or  fruits  in  the  winter  months,  they 
should  alwavs  be  built  after  what  are  called  "three- 


1G6 


GARDENING  FOE  PLEASUEE. 


quarter  spans  ; "  that  is,  having  nearly  two-thirds  of  the 
roof  long  on  one  side  and  the  other  one-third  on  the  other. 

The  long  or  two-thirds 
side  should  in  all  cases, 
as  near  as  possible,  slope 
directly  south,  the  ob- 
ject being  to  obtain,  dur- 
|  ing  the  dull  days  of  win- 
£  ter,  as  much  sunlight  as 
^  possible ;  and  for  the 
^  same  reason  the  wood 
£  workoftheframeshould 
^  be  as  light  as  possible, 
g_  and  the  glass  of  the 
1  largest  size  that  can  be 
\  economically  used.  The 
§  average  size  now  in  use 
§3  for  this  purpose  is  twelve 
3  by  twenty  inches,  put  in 
J  the  twelve  inch  way. 
w  The  brand  of  glass  most- 
&  ly  used  is  what  is  known 
%  as  "second  quality  dou- 
g  ble  thick  French."  It 
a  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
g  tance  that  the  glass  be 
'.  clear  and  without  flaws; 
^.  otherwise  the  flaws  will 
E  concentrate  the  sun's 
rays,  forming  lenses, 
and  burn  the  foliage. 
When  greenhouse  struc- 
tures are  not  wanted 
specially  for  winter  flow- 
ers or  fruit,  they  may  be  formed  of  equal  spans,  as  in 
figure  55.  In  this  case  the  ends  should  face  north  and 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  167 


;Ooo 


SCALE- 


Fig.  56.— END-VIEW  AND  PLAN  OF  DETACHED  GREENHOUSE  OR  GRAPERT. 


168 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


Fig.  57. — ELEVATION  (IN  PART)  OF  DETACHED  GREENHOUSE  OB  GKAPERT. 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  169 

south,  so  that  the  distribution  of  light  will  be  equal  on 
each  side  :  the  east  side  in  the  morning  and  the  west  in 
the  afternoon. 

All  the  walling  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  to  the 
glass  of  a  greenhouse  had  better  be  made  of  wood,  unless 
the  walls  are  made  very  thick  when  built  of  brick  or 
stone.  The  continued  warfare  in  winter  between  a  zero 
temperature  outside  and  sixty  to  seventy  degrees  inside, 
will  in  a  few  years  destroy  brick  or  stone  walls.  When 
the  walls  are  formed  of  wood,  the  best  way  is  to  place 
locust  posts  at  distances  of  four  feet  apart,  and  nail  to 
these  a  sheathing  of  boards.  Against  the  boards  tack 
asphaltum  or  tarred  paper,  and  again  against  that  place 
the  weather-boarding.  This  forms  a  wall  which,  if  kept 
painted,  will  last  for  fifty  years,  and  is  equally  warm  as 
a  twelve-inch  brick  wall,  and  costs  less  than  half.  A 
common  error  is  to  board  on  each  side  of  the  post  and 
fill  in  with  sawdust  or  shavings.  This  should  never  be 
done,  as  this  filling  soon  decays,  besides  forming  a  resort 
for  mice  and  other  vermin.  We  have  had  just  such  a 
structure  (as  figure  57)  in  use  fifteen  years  as  a  cold 
grapery,  that  has  no  heating  apparatus,  the  forwarding 
being  done  only  by  the  action  of  the  sun  on  the  glass, 
and  it  has  proved  a  cheap  and  satisfactory  luxury.  A  con- 
servatory or  grapery  of  this  style  (figures  56  and  57)  costs 
from  fifty  to  sixty  cents  per  square  foot,  without  heating 
apparatus.  Heated  by  hot  water,  it  would  cost  one  dol- 
lar to  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  square  foot.  If 
heated  by  a  horizontal  flue  in  the  manner  here  described, 
the  cost  would  be  about  seventy-five  cents  per  square  foot. 

GLASS   AND    GLAZING. 

If  for  winter  forcing  of  either  fruit  or  flowers,  the 
glass  should  be  not  less  than  ten  by  twelve  in  size, 
laid  in  the  twelve  way,  and  if  twelve  by  twenty  all  the 
better.  Even  with  the  greatest  care,  some  flaws  in 


170  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

the  glass  will  escape  detection,  and  more  or  less  burn 
the  leaves  after  the  sun  becomas  strong,  to  counteract 
which  a  slight  shading  had  better  be  used  on  the  glass 
from  April  to  September.  We  use  naphtha,  with  just 
enough  white  lead  mixed  in  it  to  give  it  the  appearance 
of  thin  milk.  This  we  put  on  with  a  syringe,  which 
sufficiently  covers  up  all  flaws  in  the  gkss  to  prevent 
burning,  and  at  the  same  time  tends  to  cool  the  house 
from  the  violence  of  the  sun's  rays.  This  is  by  far  the 
cheapest  and  best  shading  we  have  ever  used.  It  can  be 
graded  to  any  degree  of  thickness,  and  costs  only  about 
twenty-five  cents  per  thousand  square  feet  of  glass,  for 
material  and  labor. 

In  glazing,  the  method  now  almost  universally  adopted 
is  to  bed  the  glass  in  putty,  and  tack  it  on  top  with 
glazier's  points,  using  no  putty  on  the  top.  The  glazier's 
points  are  triangular,  one  corner  of  which  is  turned  down, 
so  that,  when  it  is  driven  in,  it  fits  the  lower  edge  of 
each  pane  and  prevents  it  from  slipping  down.  A  great 
mistake  is  often  made  in  giving  the  glass  too  much  lap. 
It  should  only  be  given  just  enough  to  cover  the  edge  of 
the  pane  (from  one-eighth  to  one-fourth  of  an  inch).  If 
given  too  much,  the  water  gets  in,  and  when  it  freezes  it 
cracks  the  glass. 

All  who  have  had  experience  with  greenhouses  know 
that,  no  matter  how  well  the  glazing  has  been  done  by  bed- 
ding the  glass  in  putty,  the  water  gets  in  at  the  crevices 
sooner  or  later,  rotting  the  patty,  and,  consequently,  loos- 
ening the  glass.  A  simple  plan  to  obviate  this  (which  has 
recently  been  introduced)  is  to  pour  along  the  junction 
of  the  bar  with  the  glass  a  thin  line  of  white  lead  in  oil 
from  the  slender  spout  of  a  machine  oil  can,  over  which 
is  shaken  dry  sand.  This  at  once  hardens,  and  makes  a 
cement  which  effectually  checks  all  leakage.  This,  care- 
fully done,  will  make  such  a  tight  job  that  no  repairs 
will  be  necessary  for  many  years. 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC. 


171 


172  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE, 

The  following  are  a  few  styles  of  greenhouse  structures 
of  finer  finish  than  most  of  the  preceding.  It  is  all  im- 
portant that  the  highhs,  angles,  etc.,  be  kept  as  near  to 
the  plans  given  as  possible,  as  each  plan  we  believe  to  be 
as  near  correct  as  it  well  can  be,  to  give  the  best  results 
in  culture.  No  scale  is  given,  but  a  scale  can  easily  be 
adapted  from  any  of  the  accompanying  measurements. 

Figure  58  is  taken  from  Lord  and  Burnbam's  book  of 
greenhouse  plans,  and  represents  a  three-quarter  span 
house,  seventeen  by  sixty,  ridge  eight  feet,  heated  by  six 
runs  of  four-inch  pipes  for  hot  water.  It  is  the  most 
useful  style  of  all  greenhouse  structures,  and  is  used  for 
the  model  rose  house,  but  can  be  adapted  to  the  grow- 
ing of  all  kinds  of  flowering  plants  for  winter  blooming, 
or  for  forcing  strawberries,  cucumbers,  and  other  fruits  or 
vegetables.  The  estimated  cost  of  such  a  structure  (if  the 
frame  and  walls  are  made  of  wood,  and,  as  a  general 
tiling,  we  advise  them  made  of  wood)  would  be  from 
one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  to  one  dollar  and  fifty 
cents  per  foot  for  the  ground  area  covered  by  the  house  ; 
that  is,  a  house  seventeen  by  sixty  at  one  dollar  and  twen- 
ty-five cents  would  cost  $1,275  for  the  whole  structure 
complete,  including  the  heating  by  steam  or  hot  water, 
ventilating  apparatus,  etc.  Of  course,  the  cost  would  be 
lessened  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  buildings.  The 
engraving  shows  the  walls  to  be  formed  of  brick;  but  this, 
is  not  only  more  costly,  but,  in  our  experience,  is  not  so 
good  as  wood.  (See  Greenhouse  Structures.) 

Figure  59  represents  a  greenhouse  twenty  by  sixty, 
ridge  eleven  feet  high,  full  span.  The  ground  plan  shows 
it  to  be  divided  in  the  center  by  a  glass  partition,  so  that, 
thus  divided,  it  can,  if  required,  be  used  for  greenhouse 
and  hothouse  plants  by  simply  adding  two  additional  pipes 
to  the  section  used  for  the  hothouse  ;  or  one  section  may 
be  used  as  a  rose  house  and  the  other  for  greenhouse 
plants.  The  construction  is  the  same  as  recommended 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC. 


173 


174 


GARDENING    FOE   PLEASURE. 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  175 

for  the  house  seventeen  by  sixty  (figure  58).  The  cost 
of  this  structure  would  be  about  one  dollar  and  fifty 
cents  per  foot,  or  $1,800 
for  a  house  twenty  by  sixty 
complete.  g 

Figure  60  represents  a  ^ 
curvilinear,  three-quarter  ? 
span  house,  eighteen  by  g 
sixty,  with  twelve  feet  ridge,  » 
which  can  be  used  as  a  green-  % 
house,  rose  house,  or  grap-  g 
ery.  The  cost,  if  built  of  S« 
wood  (as  advised  in  the  3 
house  seventeen  by  sixty,  w 
figure  58),  would  be  about  ^ 
one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  | 
per  foot,  or  $1,620.  5 

Figure  61  (center,  fifty  by  g 
fifty,  each  wing  twenty-five  | 
by  forty-five)  shows  a  beau- 
tiful  and  one  of  the  most 
useful  of  glass  structures. 
The  center  is  to  be  used  for  a 
conservatory  or  show  house, 
where  ornamental  foliaged 
or  flowering  plants  may  be 
placed.  The  wings  are  to 
be  used  for  a  grapery,  green- 
house,  or  rose  house,  as  de- 
sired.  Such  a  building  as 
is  shown  in  the  engraving 
would  cost,  with  iron  frame, 
brick  foundations,  and  heat- 
ing and  ventilating  appara- 
tus complete,  about  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  foot, 
or  $11,875,  if  of  the  above  dimensions.  This  is  the 


176)          GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

favorite  style  of  greenhouse  structure  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  York  on  well-appointed  places,  varied  somewhat  in 
size  or  architectural  details,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 


HEATING   BY   HOT    WATER  AND   STEAM. 

These  methods  are  in  almost  universal  use,  though  many, 
who  do  not  wish  to  go  to  the  expense,  still  use  smoke  flues. 
In  heating  by  hot  water  it  is  important  that  the  work 
be  given  to  some  reputable  firm,  whose  knowledge  is 
such  as  will  enable  them  not  only  to  judge  what  is  the 
proper  capacity  of  the  boiler  for  the  number  of  pipes  to 
be  used,  but  also  how  many  pipes  are  necessary  to  be 
used  for  the  surface  of  glass  to  be  heated.  Men  who  have 
done  a  large  business  in  heating  greenhouses  have  far 
better  opportunities  for  knowledge  in  this  matter  than 
the  average  gardener  or  florist ;  and  if  those  erecting 
greenhouses  have  not  had  extensive  and  varied  practice, 
they  had  better  be  guided  by  the  men  who  make  a  busi- 
ness of  heating,  as  the  want  of  the  requisite  knowledge 
of  these  matters  often  works  serious  mischief.  Of  course, 
the  size  of  the  greenhouse  or  greenhouses  to  be  heated 
must  determine  the  capacity  of  the  boiler  wanted  ;  but 
the  boiler  being  properly  apportioned  to  the  length  of 
pipe,  the  following  data,  used  in  our  own  establishment, 
may  be  useful.  In  our  houses,  which  are  twenty  feet 
wide  and  one  hundred  feet  long,  when  a  night  tempera- 
ture of  seventy  degrees  is  required  in  the  coldest  weather, 
ten  runs  or  rows  of  four-inch  pipe,  five  on  each  side ; 
when  sixty  degrees  are  wanted,  eight  runs  of  pipe,  four 
on  each  side ;  when  fifty  degrees  are  wanted,  six  runs 
of  pipe ;  and  when  only  thirty-five  or  forty  degrees  are 
wanted,  four  runs  of  pipe.  This  is  for  the  latitude  of 
New  York  City,  where  the  temperature  rarely  falls  lower 
than  ten  degrees  below  zero.  Latitudes  north  or  south 
of  New  York  should  be  graded  accordingly.  If  esti- 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  177 

mated  by  glass  surface,  about  one  foot  in  length  of  four- 
inch  pipe  is  necessary  for  every  three  and  a  half  square 
feet  of  glass  surface,  when  the  temperature  is  at  ten  de- 
grees below  zero,  to  keep  a  temperature  of  fifty  degrees  in 
the  greenhouse.  We  now  place  all  our  pipes  under  the 
side  benches,  as  that  enables  us  to  use  the  space  under 
the  middle  for  stowing  away  many  plants  safely,  which 
otherwise  could  not  be  done  if  the  pipes  were  there. 

Heating  greenhouses  by  steam  is  rapidly  coming  into 
use,  and,  in  my  opinion,  whenever  the  extent  to  be  heated 
is  over  five  thousand  feet  of  glass  surface,  steam  should 
be  used  in  preference  to  hot  water,  for  the  reason  that  it 
ought  to  be  cheaper  to  put  up,  one  foot  of  steam  pipe 
costing  ten  cents  being  equal  to  the  hot-water  pipe  costing 
twenty  cents ;  and,  in  addition,  in  a  thorough  compara- 
tive trial  we  find  it  to  be  a  saving  of  about  twenty-five 
per  cent,  in  coal.  As  far  as  the  well-being  of  the  plants 
is  concerned,  it  makes  no  difference  whatever  whether 
the  greenhouse  is  heated  by  hot  water  or  by  steam. 
There  is  an  impression  that  the  heat  given  off  from 
hot-water  pipes  is  more  moist  than  that  from  steam  ; 
but  this  is  an  error,  as  experiments  show  there  is 
no  difference  whatever. 

USING   GAS  TAR   ON  STEAM   OK   HOT-WATER   PIPES. 

Every  season  some  one  is  led  into  the  grievous  blun- 
der of  painting  the  hot-water  or  steam  pipes  with  gas  tar. 
This  never  fails  to  result  in  the  almost  complete  destruc- 
tion of  the  plants  as  soon  as  the  necessity  for  heating 
the  pipes  begins.  The  heat  evolved  from  the  pipes  so 
painted  gives  out  a  gas  destructive  to  all  species  of  plant 
life.  When  the  blunder  has  been  committed,  there  is  no 
remedy  but  to  take  out  the  pipes  and  burn  the  gas  tar  off 
by  a  red  heat.  All  kinds  of  remedies  have  been  tried 
again  and  again,  and  all  have  failed,  for  the  reason  that 


178 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  179 

the  gas  tar  eats  right  into  the  grain  of  the  metal,  often 
half  through  it,  so  that  all  surface  applications  are  use- 
less. Better  let  all  painting  of  the  pipes  alone,  as  a 
rather  better  radiation  of  heat  is  got  if  left  unpainted. 

HEATING    BY    FLUES. 

When  personal  attention  can  be  given  to  the  fires,  by 
heating  greenhouses  with  flues  a  great  saving  in  cost  can 
be  made  ;  in  fact,  nearly  half  the  cost  of  construction  ; 
for  we  find  that  the  hot-water  heating  apparatus  usually 
is  half  the  cost  of  building  greenhouses,  while,  if  heated 
by  flues,  the  cost  would  not  be  more  than  ten  per  cent. 
of  the  whole.  A  new  method  of  constructing  flues  (or 
rather  a  revived  method,  for  it  originated  in  18^2,)  has 
been  in  use  for  the  past  few  years,  which  has  such  mani- 
fest advantages  that  many  now  use  it  who  would  no 
doubt  otherwise  have  used  hot-water  heating.  Its  pe- 
culiarity consists  in  running  the  flue  back  to  the  furnace 
from  which  it  starts  and  into  the  chimney,  which  is  built 
on  the  top  of  the  furnace.  As  soon  as  the  fire  is  lighted 
in  the  furnace,  the  brick-work  forming  the  arch  gets 
heated,  and  at  once  starts  an  upward  draft,  driving  out 
the  cold  air  from  the  chimney,  which  puts  the  smoke 
flue  into  immediate  action  and  maintains  it ;  hence  there 
is  never  any  trouble  about  the  draft,  as  in  ordinary  flues 
having  the  chimney  at  the  most  distant  point  from  the 
furnace.  It  will  be  understood  that  the  chimney  into 
which  the  flue  is  returned  is  placed  on  the  top  of 
the  arch  of  the  furnace,  and  not  in  it,  as  some  might 
suppose. 

By  this  plan  we  not  only  get  rid  of  the  violent  heat 
given  out  by  the  furnace,  but  at  the  same  time  it  insures 
a  complete  draft,  so  that  the  heated  air  from  the  furnace 
is  so  rapidly  carried  through  the  entire  length  of  the  flue, 
that  it  is  nearly  as  hot  when  it  enters  the  chimney  as 


180  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

when  it  left  the  furnace.  This  perfect  draft  also  does 
away  with  all  danger  of  the  escape  of  gas  from  the  flues 
into  the  greenhouse,  which  often  happens  when  the 
draft  is  not  active.  Although  no  system  of  heating  by 
smoke  flues  is  so  satisfactory  as  by  hot  water  or  steam, 
yet  there  are  many  who  do  not  want  to  go  to  the  expense 
of  hot-water  heating,  and  to  such  this  revived  method  is 
one  that  will,  to  a  great  extent,  simplify  and  cheapen 
the  erection  of  greenhouses. 

Figure  62  (one-eighth  of  an  inch  to  the  foot  scale) 
shows  a  greenhouse  twenty  feet  wide  by  fifty  feet  long, 
with  furnace  room,  or  shed,  ten  by  twenty  feet.  Here 


Fig.  63.— (Scale  l/8  of  an  inch  to  the  foot.) 

the  flues  are  so  disposed  as  to  avoid  crossing  the  walks, 
being  placed  under  the  center  bench,  but  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  the  walk  on  each  side,  so  that  the  heat  may  be 
evenly  diffused  throughout.  If  a  difference  in  tempera- 
ture is  required  in  a  house  of  this  kind,  it  may  be  ob- 
tained by  running  a  glass  partition  across  the  house,  say 
at  twenty-five  feet  from  the  furnace  end,  which  will,  of 
course,  make  the  latter  end  the  hottest.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  the  plan  (figure  62)  shows  by  dotted  lines 
this  new  or  revived  plan  of  flue  heating.  Figure  63  (the 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  181 

same  scale)  is  a  section,  showing  the  arrangement  of  the 
benches,  etc. 

In  constructing  the  furnace  for  flue  heating,  the  size 
of  the  furnace  doors  should  be,  for  a  greenhouse  twenty 
by  fifty,  about  fourteen  inches  square,  and  the  length  of 
the  furnace  bars  thirty  inches.  The  furnace  should  be 
arched  over,  and  the  top  of  the  inside  of  the  arch  should 
be  about  twenty  inches  from  the  bars.  The  flue  will 
always  "draw"  better  if  slightly  on  the  ascent  through- 
out its  entire  length.  It  should  be  elevated  in  all  cases 
from  the  ground,  on  flags  or  bricks,  so  that  its  heat  may 
be  given  out  on  all  sides.  The  inside  measure  of  the 
brick  flue  should  not  be  less  than  eight  by  fourteen 
inches.  If  tiles  can  be  conveniently  procured,  they  are 
best  to  cover  with ;  but,  if  not,  the  top  of  the  flue  may 
be  contracted  to  six  inches,  and  covered  with  bricks. 

After  the  flue  has  been  built  of  brick  to  twenty-five  or 
thirty  feet  from  the  furnace,  cement  or  vitrified  drain 
pipe,  eight  or  nine  inches  in  diameter,  should  be  used,  as 
they  are  not  only  cheaper,  but  radiate  the  heat  quicker 
than  the  bricks  ;  they  are  also  much  easier  constructed 
and  cleaned.  Care  should  be  taken  that  no  wood  work  is 
in  contact  with  the  flue  at  any  place.  It  should  be  taken 
as  a  safe  rule,  that  wood  work  should  in  no  case  be  nearer 
the  flue  or  furnace  than  eight  inches.  In  constructing, 
do  not  be  influenced  by  what  the  mechanics  will  tell  you, 
as  few  of  them  have  any  experience  in  such  matters,  and 
are  not  able  to  judge  of  the  dangers  resulting  from  wood 
work  being  in  close  contact  with  the  heated  bricks. 
There  are  scores  of  greenhouses  burned  every  year  owing 
to  carelessness  or  ignorance  in  allowing  the  brick  work 
to  be  too  close  to  the  wood.  The  cost  of  such  a  green- 
house (twenty  by  fifty  feet),  at  present  prices,  heated  by 
flue,  would  be  about  six  hundred  dollars,  or  about  sixty 
cents  per  square  foot  covered  by  the  greenhouse. 


182  GAKDENING    FOK   PLEASUKE. 

HEATING   BY   HOT-BEDS. 

There  is  no  better  artificial  heat  used  for  the  starting 
of  seeds  or  growing  of  plants  than,  that  obtained  from 
the  hot-bed.  The  material  used  is  manure  fresh  from  the 
horse-stable,  and  when  they  can  be  procured,  it  is  better 
to  mix  it  with  about  an  equal  bulk  of  tan  bark  or  leaves 
from  the  woods,  or  refuse  hops.  If  the  weather  is  very 
cold,  the  bulk  of  manure  must  be  of  good  size,  from  five 
to  six  wagon  loads,  thrown  into  a  compact  round  heap, 
else  the  mass  may  be  so  chilled  that  heat  will  not  gener- 
ate. If  a  shed  is  convenient,  the  manure  may  be  placed 
there,  especially  if  the  quantity  is  small,  to  be  protected 
from  cold  until  the  heat  begins  to  rise.  The  heap  should 
be  turned  and  well  broken  up  before  being  used  for  the 
hot-beds,  so  that  the  rank  steam  may  escape,  and  the 
manure  become  of  the  proper  "  sweetened  "  condition. 
It  is  economy  of  the  heating  material  to  use  a  pit  for 
the  hot-bed.  This  should  be  made  from  two  to  three  feet 
deep,  six  feet  wide,  and  of  any  required  length.  When 
a  hot-bed  is  made  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  the  heat- 
ing material  should  not  be  less  than  thirty  inches  deep, 
and  should  be  at  least  two  feet  wider  and  longer  than  the 
frame  on  which  the  sashes  are  placed.  Thus,  if  the  hot- 
bed is  for  three  three-by-six  sashes,  the  actual  space 
covered  by  the  frame  would  be  nine  by  eighteen  ;  and 
for  this  the  hot-bed  on  which  it  rests  should  be  twelve  by 
twenty. 

After  the  heating  material  has  been  packed  in  the  pit 
to  the  depth  of  twenty  to  twenty-four  inches,  according 
to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  wanted,  or  the  season  of 
the  year  (the  earlier  in  the  season,  the  deeper  it  is 
needed),  the  sashes  should  be  placed  on  the  frame,  and 
kept  close  until  the  heat  generates  in  the  hot-bed,  which 
will  usually  take  twenty-four  hours.  Now  plunge  a 
thermometer  into  the  manure,  and  if  all  is  right  it  will 


DETACHED    GREENHOUSES,    ETC.  183 

indicate  one  hundred  degrees  or  more ;  but  this  is  yet 
too  hot  as  bottom  heat  for  the  growth  of  seeds  or  plants, 
and  a  few  days  of  delay  must  be  allowed  until  the  ther- 
mometer indicates  a  falling  of  eight  or  ten  degrees,  when 
four  or  five  inches  of  soil  may  be  placed  upon  the  manure, 
and  the  seeds  sown  or  plants  set  out  in  the  hot-bed.  Am- 
ateurs are  apt  to  be  impatient  in  the  matter  of  hot-beds, 
and  often  lose  their  first  crop  by  sowing  or  planting  be- 
fore the  first  violent  heat  has  subsided.  Another  very 
common  mistake  is  in  beginning  too  early  in  the  season. 
In  the  latitude  of  New  York  nothing  is  gained  by  begin- 
ning before  the  first  week  in  March,  and  the  result  will 
be  very  nearly  as  good  if  not  begun  until  a  month  later. 

There  are  two  or  three  important  matters  to  bear  in 
mind  in  the  use  of  hot-beds.  It  is  indispensable  for 
safety  to  cover  the  glass  at  night  with  shutters  or  mats 
until  all  danger  of  frost  is  over  ;  for  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  the  contents  of  a  hot-bed  are  always  tender, 
from  being  forced  so  rapidly  by  the  heat  below,  and  that 
the  slightest  frost  will  kill  them.  Again,  there  is  danger 
of  overheating  in  the  daytime  by  a  neglect  to  ventilate 
when  the  sun  is  shining.  As  a  general  rule,  it  will  be 
safe  in  all  the  average  days  of  March,  April,  and  May,  to 
have  the  sash  of  the  hot-bed  tilted  up  from  an  inch  to 
three  inches  at  the  back  from  9  A.M.  to  4  P.M.  Much 
will,  of  course,  depend  upon  the  activity  of  the  heating 
material  in  the  hot-bed,  the  warmth  of  the  weather,  and 
the  character  of  the  plants  in  the  bed,  so  that  we  can 
only  give  a  loose  general  rule.  Numbers  of  inexperienced 
amateur  cultivators  often  lose  the  entire  contents  of 
their  hot-beds  by  having  omitted  to  ventilate  them,  and 
on  their  return  home  from  business  at  night  find  all  the 
plants  scorched  up  ;  or  the  danger  of  the  other  extreme 
is,  that  the  plants  are  frozen  through  neglect  to  cover 
them  at  night.  A  hot-bed  requires  a  certain  amount  of 
attention,  which  must  be  given  at  the  right  time,  or  no 


184  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

satisfactory  results  can  be  expected.  Careful  attention 
must  be  given  to  watering,  which  should  be  increased  in 
quantity  as  the  season  advances.  In  all  cases,  as  the 
tiny  hot-bed  plants  are  always  tender,  tepid  water  is  pref- 
erable to  use,  and  it  should  be  put  on  very  gently  with 
a  fine  rose  watering  pot. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

GREENHOUSES  OR  PITS  WITHOUT  ARTIFICIAL 
HEATING. 

THE  directions  given  for  heating  greenhouses  by  hot 
water  or  by  flues  apply,  of  course,  only  to  sections  of  the 
country  where  the  temperature  during  the  winter  months 
makes  heating  a  necessity.  In  many  of  the  southern 
states  there  is  no  need  of  artificial  heat.  A  greenhouse 
tightly  glazed,  and  placed  against  a  building  where  it  is 
sheltered  from  the  north  and  northwest,  will  keep  out 
frost  when  the  temperature  does  not  fall  lower  than 
twenty-five  degrees  above  zero  ;  and  if  light  wooden  shut- 
ters are  used  to  cover  the  glass,  all  those  classed  as  "green- 
house" plants  will  be  safe  even  at  ten  degrees  lower, 
provided  the  conservatory  is  attached  to  the  south  or 
southeast  side  of  a  dwelling  or  other  building.  An- 
other cheap  and  simple  method  of  keeping  plants  during 
winter  in  mild  latitudes  is  by  the  use  of  the  sunken  pit 
or  deep  frame,  which  affords  the  needed  protection  even 
more  completely  than  the  elevated  greenhouse.  This  is 
formed  by  excavating  the  soil  to  the  depth  of  from  eigh- 
teen to  thirty-six  inches,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
plants  it  is  intended  to  contain.  A  convenient  width 
is  six  feet,  the  ordinary  length  of  a  hot-bed  sash,  and 
of  such  length  as  may  be  desired.  Great  care  must 
be  taken  that  the  ground  is  such  that  no  water  will  stand 


GREENHOUSES    WITHOUT   ARTIFICIAL   HEATING.       185 

in  the  pit.  If  the  soil  is  moist  it  should  be  drained, 
and  the  bottom  covered  with  an  inch  or  two  of  cement. 
The  sides  of  the  pit  may  be  either  walled  up  by  a  four 
or  eight-inch  course  of  brick  work,  or  planked  up,  as 
may  be  preferred;  but  in  either  case  the  back  wall  should 
be  raised  about  eighteen  inches  and  the  front  about  six 
inches  above  the  surface,  in  order  to  give  the  necessary 
slope  to  receive  the  sun's  rays 
and  to  shed  the  water.  A 
section  of  such  a  pit  is  shown 
in  figure  64.  If  a  pit  of 
this  kind  is  made  in  a  dry 
and  sheltered  position,  and 
the  glass  covered  by  light 

shutters  of  half-inch  boards,  Fig.  64.— SUNKEN  PIT. 

it  may  be  used  to  keep  all  the  hardier  class  of  greenhouse 
plants,  even  in  localities  where  the  thermometer  falls  to 
zero.  After  all  danger  of  severe  weather  is  past,  which, 
in  the  latitude  of  New  York,  is  usually  by  the  last  week 
of  April,  greenhouses  or  pits  without  artificial  heat  can 
be  safely  used  for  keeping  all  kinds  of  greenhouse  plants, 
unless  the  very  tender  kinds,  such  as  Coleus,  as  we  rarely 
have  frost  sufficiently  severe  after  that  date  to  penetrate 
into  the  cold  pit  or  cold  greenhouses.  In  the  hands  of 
inexperienced  cultivators,  plants  can  always  be  grown 
better  without  artificial  heat,  which  is  often  very  difficult 
to  properly  adjust,  particularly  when  the  greenhouse  is 
small. 

A  new  covering  for  plants  has  recently  come  into  use, 
under  the  name  of  "  Protecting  Cloth."  It  can  be  bought 
for  eight  or  ten  cents  per  yard,  so  that  two  yards  of  it 
tacked  to  a  light  frame  will  make  a  "  sash  covering  to 
protect  plants,  at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  cents  each,  which 
will  answer  nearly  as  well  as  a  glass  sash,  costing  ten 
times  :is  much,  for  all  protection  that  plants  require 
after  danger  of  severe  freezing  is  past.  Often,  during 


186  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

the  early  part  of  May,  we  have  from  four  to  six  degrees 
of  frost,  which  would  be  fatal  to  all  tender  plains,  which, 
if  covered  by  the  protecting  cloth,  could  be  saved.  I 
have  frequently  been  asked  since  the  introduction  of  the 
protecting  cloth,  whether  it  can  be  used  instead  of  glass 
for  small  greenhouses  in  winter.  In  very  mild  climates, 
where  there  is  but  a  few  degrees  of  frost,  it  would  answer 
fairly  well.  The  only  objection  would  be  in  case  of  con- 
tinued wet  weather,  as,  of  course,  the  cloth  would  not- 
shed  the  rain  unless  placed  at  a  very  sharp  angle. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 
COMBINED  CELLAR  AND  GREENHOUSE. 

IN  connection  with  the  description  of  the  cold  pit  or 
greenhouse  without  fire  heat,  may  be  mentioned  the  com- 
bined cellar  and  greenhouse.  Many  years  ago  an  acci- 
dental circumstance  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  testing 
the  utility  of  such  a  structure.  An  excavation,  twenty  by 
forty  feet,  and  seven  feet  deep,  had  been  made,  walled  up 
with  stone,  and  beams  laid  across  preparatory  to  placing 
a  building  upon  it,  when  the  owner  changed  his  plans, 
and  found  himself  with  this  useless  excavation  within  a 
dozen  yards  of  his  costly  residence.  There  seemed  to  be 
no  alternative  but  to  fill  it  up  or  plank  it  over ;  but  both 
plans  were  objectionable,  and  in  discussing  how  to  get 
out  of  the  difficulty,  I  suggested  erecting  a  low-roofed 
greenhouse  over  it,  as  the  owner  had  a  taste  for  cultivat- 
ing plants.  This  suggestion  was  followed,  and  the  walls 
were  raised  two  feet  above  the  surface,  and  a  span-roofed 
greenhouse  erected  over  it. 

My  idea  (which  was  found  to  be  nearly  correct)  was, 
that  the  large  volume  of  air  in  the  excavation  would  at 


COMBINED   CELLAR   AND   GREENHOUSE.  187 

no  season  go  below  forty  degrees,  and  be  sufficient  to 
keep  the  upper  or  greenhouse  portion  of  the  structure 
above  the  freezing  point  in  the  coldest  weather.  This 
it  did  completely  when  the  glass  was  covered  at  night 
with  shutters ;  and  the  plants  with  which  it  was  filled, 
of  a  kind  requiring  a  low  temperature,  kept  in  better 
health  than  if  they  had  been  grown  in  a  greenhouse 
having  fire  heat. 

Under  favorable  circumstances  such  a  structure  might 
be  made  of  great  utility,  and  at  a  trifling  cost ;  for  as  it 
dispenses  with  heating  apparatus,  which  usually  is  more 
than  half  of  the  whole  cost  in  all  greenhouses,  the  use 
of  a  cellar  and  greenhouse  could  be  had  at  probably  less 
than  the  cost  of  an  ordinary  greenhouse  ;  and  for  half- 
hardy  plants — plants  that  will  do  well  in  winter  if  kept 
only  above  the  freezing  point — such  a  structure  will  be 
better  for  many  of  them  than  any  kind  of  greenhouse 
heated  by  fire  heat.  All  kinds  of  Roses,  Camellias, 
Azaleas,  Zonal  Geraniums,  Violets,  Cape  Jessamines, 
Carnations,  Abutilons,  Verbenas.  Primulas,  Stevias,  and, 
in  short,  all  plants  known  as  cool  greenhouse  plants, 
will  keep  in  a  healthy,  though  nearly  dormant  condition, 
during  the  winter  months  ;  but  they  will  flourish  with 
greatly  increased  vigor  at  their  natural  season  of  growth 
and  flowering  as  spring  advances.  Besides,  the  cellar 
may  be  used  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  such  a  place  ; 
or,  if  exclusively  for  horticultural  purposes,  no  better 
place  can  be  had  for  keeping  4all  deciduous  hardy  or  half- 
hardy  plants,  Hyacinths  in  pots  to  start  to  flower,  or  any 
bulbs  of  similar  nature.  The  great  point  to  be  observed 
is,  that  the  soil  where  such  a  structure  is  to  be  erected 
is  entirely  free  from  water,  or,  if  not  so  naturally,  it 
must  be  made  entirely  dry  by  draining. 

The  style  that  I  think  would  suit  best  for  genera1!  pur- 
poses would  be  twelve  feet  in  width,  and  of  any  length 
desired.  The  excavation  should  not  be  less  than  seven 


188  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

feet  deep,  walled  up  to  about  one  foot  above  the  surface. 
When  complete  it  would  show  something  like  the  section 
in  figure  65.  If  desired,  the  walls  might  be  raised  two 
feet  above  the  surface  level,  which  would  admit  of  a  few 
windows  in  the  wall  to  give  light  in  the  cellar,  if  so  de- 
sired. If  the  glass  roof  is  made  fixed,  it  should  have 
ventilating  sashes  three  by  three,  at  intervals  of  six  or 
nine  feet  on  each  side  of  the  roof  ;  if  of  sashes,  they 
should  be  seven  feet  long  by  three  feet  wide,  every  alter- 
nate one  being  arranged  to  move  for  ventilation  in  the 
usual  way.  The  position  of  the  structure  would  be  best 
with  its  ends  north  and  south.  The  shutters  for  cover- 


Fig.  65.— GREENHOUSE  AND  CELLAR  COMBINED. 

ing  the  glass  at  night  should  be  made  of  light  half-inch 
pine  boards,  three  feet  wide  by  seven  feet  long. 

It  will  be  understood  that  the  advantage  of  this  com- 
bination of  cellar  and  greenhouse  over  the  ordinary  cold 
pit  is,  that  the  air  of  the  greenhouse  is  warmed  or 
equalized  by  mixing  with  the  atmosphere  of  the  cellar, 
which  will  rarely  be  less  than  forty  degrees.  For  the 
same  reason,  if  a  high  temperature  by  fire  heat  were 
wanted,  say  seventy  degrees,  this  large  body  of  air  from 
below  of  forty  degrees  would  make  it  difficult  to  obtain 


HARDY   SHRUBS,  CLIMBERS,  AND  .TREES.  189 

it.  If  the  flooring  above  the  cellar  is  made  water  tight, 
which  could  easily  be  done,  even  if  covered  by  plank,  by 
cementing  over  the  plank,  the  cellar  could  be  used  as 
a  mushroom  house,  as  no  light  is  necessary  for  the 
growth  of  mushrooms.  (For  instructions,  see  "Mush- 
room Culture.") 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 
HARDY  SHRUBS,  CLIMBERS,  AND  TREES. 

A  PLACE  is  seldom  so  small  that  a  few  choice  shrubs 
cannot  appropriately  find  room,  and  in  which  climbers 
are  not  desirable,  while  in  the  larger  places  these  become 
important  to  its  proper  ornamentation.  Whether  its  size 
admits  of  the  use  of  trees  or  not,  both  deciduous  and 
evergreen  shrubs,  climbers  as  well  as  evergreen  trees  of 
low  growth,  are  indispensable.  We  here  append  a  list  of 
the  leading  kinds  in  each  class,  but  which  by  no  means 
exhausts  the  number  of  desirable  varieties  ;  and  for  the 
others  reference  may  be  made  to  the  catalogues  of  tho 
principal  nurseries,  where  also  will  be  found  descriptions 
of  those  here  named. 

HABDY  DECIDUOUS  SHBUBS. 

•dSsculus  parviflora Dwarf  Horse-Chestnut,  rosy  white. 

Azalea  Potitica,  hybrids Belgian  Azaleas,  rose,  yellow,  etc. 

Herberts  vulgaris Barberry,  yellow. 

"  "        var.  purpurea... Purple-leaved  Barberry,  yellow. 

Calycanthus  floridns Sweet-scented  Shrub,  chocolate  color. 

Cercis  Japonica Japan  Judas  Tree,  rose-purple. 

Chionanthus  Virginica -Fringe  Tree,  white. 

Clethra  alnifolia Sweet  Pepper  Bush,  greenish,  scented. 

Cotoneaster  microphylla Small-leaved  Cotoneaster,  white. 

Cratcegus  Pyracantha . .  -  .Pyracanth  Thorn,  white. 

"        oxyacanthafl.pl. -  .Hawthorn,  double  white. 

"                "         cocdneafl.pl.  Hawthorn,  double  scarlet. 
Cydonia  (Pyrus)  Japonica Japan  Quince,  scarlet, white,  etc. 


190  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Cytisus  elongatus Laburnum ,  yellow. 

Deutzia  scabra Rough  Deutzia,  white. 

"      crenatafl.  pi Double  Deutzia,  white. 

"      gracilis Slender  Deutzia,  white. 

Euonymus  atropurpureus Burning  Bush,  fruit  orange -scarlet. 

"         latifolius Broad-leaved  B.  B.,  fruit  orange-scar't. 

Exochorda  (Spircea)  grandiflora.-.L&rge  Flowering  Spiraea,  white. 

Forsylhia  viridissima. Golden  Bell,  yellow. 

Halesia  tetraptera Silver  Bell,  white. 

Hibiscus  Syriacusfl.  pi '.. .  .Rose  of  Sharon,  double,  all  shades  from 

white  to  crimson. 
Hydrangea  panic ulata  grandiflora.Grea,t-pa.n\cleA  Hydrangea,  white. 

' '          Hortensia Common  Hydrangea,  blue  or  pink. 

"          Japonica .Japan  Hydrangea,  white. 

Kerria  Japonica Japan  Globe-flower,  yellow. 

Lonicera  Tartarica -Tartarian  Honeysuckle, pink  and  white. 

Magnolia  glauca Sweet  Bay  Magnolia,  greenish-white. 

"        conspicua Yulan  Tree,  shaded  carmine. 

"        Soulangeana Soulange's  Magnolia, white  and  purple. 

Philadelphia  coronarius -Mock  Orange,  white. 

"  nanus Mock  Orange,  Dwarf,  white. 

frunus  Japonica  flore  alba  plena..  Double-flow  'g  Almond,  pink  or  white. 

Prunus  triloba .Japan  Flowering  Plum,  blush-white. 

jRibes  aurcum Missouri  Currant,  yellow. 

"    sanguineum. Crimson. 

Mpircea  prunifoliafl.  pi. Plum-leaved  Spiraea,  white. 

"     callosa  and  var.  alba Flat-topped  Spiraea,  pink  and  white. 

"     Beevesli  fl.  pi Lance-leaved  Spiraea,  white. 

"     Douglatni ..Douglas's  Spiraea,  white. 

"     hypericifolla St.  Peter's  Wreath,  white. 

Stuartia  pentagynia Stuartia,  white. 

Symphoi-icarpus  racemosus Snowberry,  white  fruit. 

Syringa  vulgaris Common  Lilac,  purple,  lilac,  and  rose. 

"  "      alba White  Lilac. 

"       Persica .Persian  Lilac,  purple. 

"  "       alba .Persian  Lilac,  white. 

Viburnum  Opulus... Snowball,  white. 

"         plicatum .Dwarf  Snowball,  white. 

Weigela  rosea .Bush  Honeysuckle,  rose. 

"         "    fol.  var. Bush  Honeysuckle,  variegated  foliage. 

"      nivea -Bush  Honeysuckle,  white. 

"      amabilis -Bush  Honeysuckle,  rose  and  white. 

"      Desboisiana Bush  Honeysuckle,  rose  and  white. 

HABDT  EVERGREEN  SHRUBS. 

Andro'neda  florihunda - Free-flowering  Andromeda. 

Biota  Orientalis  ...  ...  Eastern  Arbor  Vitae. 


HARDY   SHRUBS,   CLIMBERS,   AND  TREES.  191 

Buxus  sempervirens  arborea .Tree  Box. 

Cephalotaxus  Fortunii Fortune's  Cephalotarus. 

Daphne  Cneorum Garland  Flower. 

Ilex  opaca American  Holly. 

Juniperus  communis  var.  Succica.. Swedish  Juniper. 
"  "  Hibern ica -Irish  Juniper. 

"        oblonga  pendiUa Weeping  Juniper. 

"         squamata  - Scaled  Juniper. 

"        prostrate .Prostrate  Juniper. 

Kalmvi  lati folia. American  Laurel. 

Podocarpus  Japonica Japan  Yew. 

Rhododendron  Catawbiense,  hyb's  .Rhododendrons. 

Taxus  baccata English  Yew. 

"      Canadcnsis American  Yew. 

"     erecta Upright  Yew. 

TJiuja  Occidentals American  Arbor  Vitae. 

"  "          var.  Sibirica Siberian  Arbor  Vitae. 

"  "  "    plicata Plicate  Arbor  Vitae. 

"  "  "    nana Dwarf  Arbor  Vitae. 

."  "  "  Geo.Peabody. Golden  Arbor  Vitas. 

HARDT   EVERGREEN   TREES. 

Abies  Canadensis ----- .  -Hemlock  Spruce. 

"  "  var.  Sargenti pendula -Sargent' 's  Pendulous  Hemlock  Spruce. 

"     excelsa -  -  - Norway  Spruce. 

"         "     var.  Gregory  ana Gregory's  Spruce. 

"         "        "    pygmcea Dwarf  Spruce 

«'         "       "    inverta Inverted  Spruce. 

"     nlgra pumila Dwarf  Black  Spruce. 

"     Fi-aseri  var.  Hudsonica Hudson's  Bay  Fir. 

"    pcctinata European  Silver  Fir. 

"  "       var.fastigiata Erect  Silver  Fir. 

"     Pichta -- Siberian  Silver  Fir. 

Juniperus  Virginiana. Red  Cedar. 

Pinus  Slrobus White  Pine. 

"      Cenibra.. - Swiss  Stone  Pino. 

"     pwnilio-. Dwarf  Pine. 

"     Aiislriaca Austrian  Pine. 

Betinospora  obtusa Obtuse-leaved  Retinospora. 

"         plumosa  aurca Golden-plumed  Retinospora. 

HABDT   CLIMBE3S. 

Akebia  quinata - Akebia,  purple,  fragrant. 

Ampelopsis  quinquefolia Virginia  Creeper,  leaves  grandly  col- 
ored in  fall. 

"         Veitchii Leaves  grandly  colored  in  fall. 

"        JRoyali Leaves  grandly  colored  in  fall. 


192  GARDENING    FOK   PLSASUKli'. 

Aristolochia  sipho Dutchman 's  Pipe,  greenish-brown,  cu- 
rious. 

Clematis flammula Virgin's  Bower,  white. 

"        coccinea Virgin's  Bower,  scarlet. 

"       azwrea,and  various  hyb's.All  shades  from  white  to  deepest  pur- 
ple and  blue,  double  and  single. 

Hedera  Helix European  Ivy. 

This  in  its  many  varieties  is  scarcely  hardy  at  New  York. 

Lonicera  sempervirens Trumpet  Honeysuckle,  scarlet,  yellow. 

"        Halliana Hall's  Honeysuckle,  white  and  buff. 

"       Japonica Japan  Honeysuckle,  pink  and  white. 

"  "  var.  aurea  reticulata. Golden-leaved  Honeysuckle. 

"       Periclymenuin English   Woodbine,  crimson,   shaded 

white. 
"  "          var.  Bdgica. Dutch  Honeysuckle,  monthly,  rose  and 

white. 
Rose*  embrace  Yellow,  Crimson,  White,  etc. 

Tecoma  (Blgnonid)  grandiflora Large-flowered  Trumpet  Vine,  orange- 

scailet. 

"      (Bignonid)  radicans Trumpet  Creeper,  orange. 

Wistaria  frutescens American  Wistaria,  purple  and  white. 

' '       Sinensis . Chinese  Wistaria,  purple. 

"  "      var.  alba White  Wistaria. 

"  "        "    Alleni -Allen's  Wistaria,  violet. 

"       magnifica Magnificent    Wistaria,    dark    purpie, 

large. 

For  a  proper  understanding  of  where  to  plant  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  climbing  plants,  it  is  necessary  to  divide 
them  into  two  classes.  The  "twining"  kinds,  such  as 
are  adapted  to  twine  around  wire,  strings,  trellis-work, 
or  limbs  of  trees,  which  comprise  the  largest  class  ;  and 
the  "  climbing  "  kinds,  in  which  is  included  the  Clematis, 
the  grandest  and  most  varied  of  all  climbing  plants.  The 
"  twining"  kinds  can  be  trained  on  poles  eight  or  ten 
feet  high  as  individual  specimens,  or  on  the  trellis-work 
of  verandas,  or  on  wire  fences,  or  on  any  material  which 
they  can  twine  around.  The  Loniceras  or  Honeysuckles 
require  similar  treatment ;  and  though  by  no  means  so 
varied  or  brilliant  in  coloring  as  the  Clematis,  they  are  all 
deliciously  fragrant,  while,  so  far,  there  is  only  one  variety 
of  Clematis  that  is  fragrant,  C.  jlammula.  Of  the 


HARDY  HERBACEOUS   PERENNIALS.  193 

climbing  plants  that  "cling"  rather  than  twine  there 
are  the  Ampelopsis  (known  as  Virginia  Creeper,  Boston 
Ivy,  etc.)  and  the  Hedera  Helix,  the  true  European  Ivy. 
Both  of  these  attach  themselves,  in  climbing,  to  walls  of 
brick,  stone,  or  rough  wood,  trees,  etc.,  by  throwing  out 
rootlets  or  suckers  from  the  stem  as  they  climb,  which 
are  firmly  attached  to  whatever  they  are  climbing  on. 
The  Ampelopsis  Veitchii  and  Royali  are  comparatively 
new  plants,  but  hundreds  of  thousands  of  them  are  now 
sold  annually,  and  grand  specimens  are  seen  in  nearly 
every  section  of  the  country.  When  once  established  they 
will  climb  against  walls  ten  feet  in  a  season,  and  attain 
to  a  hight  of  fifty  feet  in  three  or  four  years.  Many 
buildings  in  Boston,  New  York,  and  elsewhere,  are 
covered  to  the  roof  with  these  beautiful  climbers.  The 
leaves,  which  are  green  in  summer,  overlap  lite  a  coat 
of  mail ;  but  it  is  in  autumn  that  they  are  seen  in  their 
glory.  No  "  autumn  leaves  "  surpass  in  beauty  the  Am- 
pelopsis ;  shaded  crimson,  scarlet,  and  orange,  they  can 
be  seen,  in  a  clear  day,  nearly  a  mile  distant.  The  Am- 
pelopsis has  been  largely  planted  by  the  Pennsylvania  and 
other  railroad  lines  against  the  rocks  where  cuts  have 
been  made,  and  it  is  in  contemplation  to  use  this  plant 
to  cling  to  embankments  to  prevent  sliding. 

Climbing  Roses  can  be  trained  on  wire  or  wooden 
fences,  verandas,  dead  trees,  or  to  poles  ;  but  in  all  cases 
they  require  to  be  tied  or  tacked  to  the  support  to  keep 
them  in  proper  shape. 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 
HARDY    HERBACEOUS    PERENNIALS. 

HERBACEOUS  perennials  include  those  hardy  plants, 
the  stems  of  which  die  down  at  the  approach  of  winter, 
or  earlier  if  they  have  completed  their  growth.  The  roots 


194  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

being  hardy,  they  remain  in  the  same  place  for  many 
years  in  succession.  Plants  of  this  class  were  formerly 
more  popular  than  they  have  been  of  late  years,  the  taste 
for  brilliant  bedding  effects  having  caused  these  former 
favorites  to  be  neglected.  Recently  the  taste  for  peren- 
nials has  revived,  and  while  they  cannot  serve  as  substi- 
tutes for  what  are  known  as  bedding  plants,  they  are  ex- 
ceedingly useful  for  those  who  wish  to  have  flowers  with 
but  little  trouble,  as  most  of  them  can  remain  for  eight 
or  ten  years  without  requiring  any  other  care  than  to 
keep  them  clear  of  weeds.  It  will  renew  their  vigor, 
however,  when  the  clumps  become  too  large,  to  lift, 
divide,  and  re-set  them  in  fresh  soil.  For  the  best  results 
it  is  advisable  to  re-set  most  of  them  every  third  year, 
while  some  may  remain  in  place  indefinitely,  taking  care 
to  give  them  a  yearly  manuring,  as  the  vigorous  growing 
ones  soon  exhaust  the  soil  immediately  around  them. 
In  setting  out  these  plants,  the  taller  kinds  should  be 
placed  at  the  back  of  the  border,  or  in  the  center  if 
the  bed  is  to  be  seen  from  both  sides,  while  those  of  the 
lowest  growth  are  to  be  placed  at  the  edge,  and  those  of 
intermediate  size  between. 

A  proper  selection  of  these  plants  will  give  a  succession 
from  early  spring  until  frost  stops  all  bloom.  Many  of 
these  perennials  remain  unchanged  from  their  natural 
state,  but  bloom  in  our  borders  just  as  they  appeared  in 
their  native  woods  and  hills  in  different  parts  of  the 
world,  and  seem  to  show  no  disposition  to  "break"  or 
deviate  from  their  normal  form,  notwithstanding  they 
have  been  in  cultivation  for  a  century  or  two.  On  the 
other  hand,  many  have,  by  "  sporting,"  or  by  hybridizing 
and  crossing,  as  in  the  case  of  Pseonies,  Phloxes,  Irises, 
and  others,  produced  many  florists'  varieties,  which  show 
forms  and  colors  not  found  in  the  native  state  of  the 
plants,  and  the  frequent  occurrence  of  double  flowers 
among  them  shows  that  cultivation  has  not  been  without 


HARDY   HERBACEOUS    PERENNIALS.  195 

its  influence.  As  many  of  the  hardy  herbaceous  peren- 
nials are  natives  of  shady  woods  and  swamps,  they  suffer 
greatly  if  exposed  to  the  scorching  rays  of  our  summer 
suns,  unless  mulched  with  manure,  leaves,  or  some  such 
material  to  protect  the  roots.  Most  of  them  also  do 
rather  better  in  a  little  shade  than  when  exposed  to  full 
sunshine^ 

With  such  a  number  to  select  from,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  make  a  list  of  twenty-five,  or  even  fifty, 
and  not  leave  out  many  desirable  kinds.  Those  m 
the  following  list  are  all  of  generally  admitted  ex- 
cellence, and  are  usually  to  be  obtained  from  florists 
and  nurserymen. 

It  maybe  added  here,  that  there  is  no  part  of  the  coun- 
try which  does  not  afford  wild  flowers  of  sufficient  beauty 
to  merit  a  place  in  the  garden,  and  most  of  them,  except, 
perhaps,  those  which  naturally  grow  in  deep  shade,  will 
grow  larger  and  bloom  finer  in  a  rich  border  than  in 
their  native  localities. 

Perennials  are  propagated  by  division  of  the  clumps, 
by  cuttings  of  the  stems,  and  sometimes  of  the  roots, 
and  by  seeds.  In  many  cases  the  seeds  are  very  slow  of 
germination  unless  sown  as  soon  as  ripe.  As  most  of 
them  do  not  bloom  until  the  seedlings  have  made  one 
year's  growth,  the  seeds  should  be  sown  in  a  reserve  bed, 
from  which,  at  the  end  of  the  first  summer,  or  in  the 
following  spring,  they  may  be  transplanted  to  the  place 
where  they  are  to  flower.  It  is  well  to  give  the  seedlings 
some  protection  the  first  winter,  not  because  they  are  not 
hardy,  but  to  prevent  them  from  being  thrown  out  of  the 
soil  by  frequent  freezing  and  thawing.  A  covering  of 
evergreen  boughs  is  most  suitable  ;  but  if  these  are  not 
at  hand,  use  coarse  hay  or  other  litter,  first  laying  down 
some  brush,  to  keep  the  covering  from  matting  down 
upon  them. 


196  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Aconitum  Napellus Monkshood. 

"  "       variegatum Variegated  Monkshood. 

Anemone  Japonica Japan  Windflower. 

' '       var.  Honorine  Jdbert  -  -  White  Japan  Windflower. 

Pulsatilla Pasque  Flower. 

Aquilegia  alpina Alpine  Columbine. 

ccerulea Rocky  Mountain  Columbine. 

chrysantha - Golden-spurred  Columbine. 

vulgaris Garden  Columbine. 

Aspe)~ula  odorata - - Woodruff. 

Astilbe  Japonica (Incorrectly  Spiraea.) 

Jiaptisia  australis -False  Indigo. 

Campanula  Ca-patica. Carpathian  Harebell. 

"  psrsicifolia Peach-leaved  Harebell. 

' '          grandiflora Great-flowered  Harebell, 

and  others. 

Cassia  Manlandica Wild  Senna. 

Clematis  erecta Upright  Clematis. 

"        integrifolia ..Entire-leaved  Clematis. 

Colchicwn  autumnale Meadow  Saffron. 

Convallaria  majalis Lily  of  the  Valley. 

Chrysanthemum,  Chinese  and  Japanese.. 

The  grand  hybrid  varieties  of  the  Chrysanthemum  now  run  into  thou- 
sands, of  almost  every  shade  except  blue  and  bright  scarlet.  They  are 
hardy  in  nearly  all  sections  south  of  Baltimore,  and  on  light,  well-drained 
soils,  in  nearly  all  sections  of  the  country,  if  covered  with  four  or  five 
inches  of  leaves  or  Utter  late  in  the  fall. 

Delphinium  elatum Bee  Larkspur. 

' '          nudicaule Scarlet  Larkspur, 

and  others. 

Dianthus  plumarius Garden  Pink. 

"        supcrbus Fringed  Pink. 

Dicenlra  eximia .Plumy  Dicentra. 

"       spcctabUis -Bleeding  Heart. 

Dictamnus  Fraxinclla Fraxinella. 

Dodecatheon  Meadia .American  Cowslip. 

Uranthis  hiemalis Winter  Aconite. 

Erica  carnea Winter  Heath. 

Furikiaovala Blue  Plantain  Lily. 

' '       Japonica  (subcordata) Japan  Plantain  Lily. 

Oypsophilapaniculata. Panicled  Gypsophila. 

Jfetteborus  niger. Christmas  Rose. 

Hepatica  trildba Liver-leaf. 

"  "    fl.pl,. ..Double-flowered  Liver-leaf. 

Iberis  Gibraltarica Gibraltar  Candytuft. 

' '      sempervirens Perennial  Candytuft. 

Iris  Gcrmanica German  Iris. 


HARDY   HERBACEOUS    PERENNIALS.  197 

Iris  Iberica  - -Iberian  Iris. 

"  Kceriipferi .Japan  Iris. 

"  putnila Dwarf  Ms, 

and  many  others  of  a  great  range  of  colors. 

Lathyrus,  perennial Flowering  Pea. 

Liatris  spicata  . . Blazing  Star. 

"      squarrosa ...Blazing  Star, 

and  others. 

Lilium  auratum Gold-banded  Lily. 

This,  with  many  other  Japanese  species  in  the  catalogues,  is  per- 
fectly hardy,  and  there  should  be  a  good  collection  of  them  in  every 
garden. 

Linumperenne Perennial  Flax. 

Lobelia  cardinalis Cardinal  Flower. 

This  native  (also  its  hybrids)  does  perfectly  well  in  the  soil  of  the 
garden. 

Lupinuspolyphyllus Many-leaved  Lupine. 

Lychnis  Chalcedonica  _ Scarlet  Lychnis, 

and  several  others. 

Lysimachia  nummularia Moneywort. 

Mertensia  Virginica Virginia  Lungwort. 

Myosotis  palustris Forget-me-not. 

' '        Azor ica Azorean  Forget-m  e-not. 

' '       dissitiflora Early  Forget-me-not. 

Narcissus  biflorus Twin-flowered  Narcissus. 

"        poeticus Poet's  Narcissus. 

' '        Jonquilla Jonquil. 

"        Pseudo-Narcissus Daffodil, 

in  double  and  single  varieties. 

(Enothera  Missouriensis Missouri  Evening  Primrose. 

Pceonia  offlcinalis Common  Paeony, 

and  the  various  hybrids  of  this  and  other  species,  of  which  there  are 
many  fine  named  sorts. 

Pceonia  tenuifoha Fennel-leaved  Pseony. 

"      Moutan Tree  Pseony, 

of  which  there  are  many  named  varieties. 

Papaver  Orientale Oriental  Poppy. 

Pentstemon  grandiflorus Large-flowered  Pentstemon. 

"          barbatus  var.  Tprreyi Torrey's  Pentstemon. 

"          Palmeri Palmer's  Pentstemon, 

and  several  other  hardy  species. 

P/tlox,  herbaceous Garden  Phlox. 

Under  this  head  a  great  number  of  named  varieties  may  be  had.  New 
ones  are  offered  every  year,  and  a  good  selection  of  colors  makes  a  grand 
show. 

Phlox  subulata Moss  Pink. 

Also  the  white  variety. 


198  GAHDEXIXG    FOR    PLEASURE. 

Pblemonium  reptans -Jacob's  Ladder. 

"          cceruleum -- Greek  Valerian. 

Primula  veris English  Cowslip. 

This  and  the  Polyanthus  varieties  need  a  moist  and  shady  place. 
P.  cortusoides  is  hardy,  and  P.  Japonica  probably  so. 

Pyrethrum  carneum -- Kosy  Pyrethrum, 

the  new  double  varieties. 

Saxifraga  crassifolla .Thick-leaved  Saxifrage. 

' '        cordifolia - Heart  -leaved  Saxifrage. 

Sedwn  acre Stonecrop. 

"      Sieboldii  (and.vai'ieyata) Siebold's  Stonecrop. 

"      pidchellum Beautiful  Stonecrop. 

"     spectabile Showy  Stonecrop, 

and  a  large  number  of  others,  presenting  a  great  variety  in  foliage  and 
flowers. 

Sempervivum  arachnoldeum Cobweb  Houseleek. 

*'  calcareum  (G'o/i/bjvifcwm^Purple-tipped  Houseleek. 

"  tectorum .Common  Houseleek. 

Of  these  curious  plants  there  are  more  that  fifty  species  in  cultivation, 
and  all  perfectly  hardy  ;  useful  on  rock  work. 

Spiraea  Jttipendula  (and  double). Drop  wort. 

"      palmala Palmate  Spiraea. 

"       Ulmaria _ Meadow  Sweet. 

"      lobata .Queen  of  the  Meadow. 

Symphytum  offleinale  var Variegated  Comfrey. 

TJialictrum  minus Maiden-hair  Meadow  Rue. 

Tritoma  uvaria  (and  vars.) Red-hot  Poker, 

needs  covering  in  winter  with  litter. 

Tunica  Saxifraga Rock  Tunica. 

Yucca  JUamentosa Adam's  Thread  or  Needle. 

PEBESNIAL    OBNAMENTAL  GRASSES. 

1.  Arundo  Donax Great  Reed. 

2.  "          "      versicolor Variegated  Reed. 

8.       "       conspicua. Silvery  Reed. 

4.  Erianthus  Ravennoe Ravenna  Grass. 

5.  Eulalia  Japonica  variegata Japan  Eulalia. 

6.  "  "        zebrina Japan  Zebra  Eulalia. 

7.  Festuca  glauca Blue  Fescue  Grass. 

8.  Gy neri  urn  argenteum Pampas  Grass. 

9.  Panicum  virgatum Wan  d-like  Panic. 

10.  Phala-i-is  arundinacea  picta Ribbon  Grass.       » 

11.  Stipapennata Feather  Grass. 

In  the  climate  of  New  York,  Nos.  1, 2  and  8  need  protection;  Nos.  1  and 
2  by  Utter  over  the  roots,  and  No  8  by  covering  it  with  a  cask  or  box.  In 
the  order  of  their  hight,  No.  7  is  6  inches,  10  and  11  a  foot,  5  and  6,  4  to  8 
feet,  and  1, 2, 3, 4,  and  8  from  6  to  12  feet,  according  to  the  age  of  the  plants. 


FLOWERS  WHICH  WILL  GROW  IX  THE  SHADE.        19y 

CHAPTER     XXXIII. 
FLOWERS  WHICH  WILL  GROW  IN  THE  SHADE. 

THERE  are  few  plants  that  will  flower  in  places  from 
which  sunshine  is  entirely  excluded.  Some  plants  will 
grow  well  enough,  developing  shoots  and  leaves,  but 
floioersoi  nearly  all  kinds  must  have  some  sunshine.  Of 
those  that  do  well  and  flower  when  planted  out  in  the 
open  ground  where  sunlight  only  comes  for  two  or  three 
hours  during  the  day,  may  be  named  the  following  : 
Calceolarias,  Fuchsias,  Lobelias,  Herbaceous  Phloxes, 
Pansies,  Forget-me-nots,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  and  other 
herbaceous  plants  and  shrubs  whose  native  habitat  is 
shady  woods.  Perhaps  a  better  effect  is  produced  in 
such  situations  by  ornamental  leaved  plants,  such  as 
Coleuses  of  all  kinds,  Amaranths,  Achyranthes,  Caladi- 
u ms,  Cannas,  and  other  plants  with  highly  colored  or 
ornamental  leaves.  With  these  may  be  combined  the 
different  styles  of  white  or  gray-leaved  plants,  such  as 
Centaureas,  Cinerarias,  and  Gnaphaliums,  plants  known 
under  the  general  popular  term  of  '•  Dusty  Millers." 
For  our  own  part,  we  much  prefer  to  devote  shaded  situ- 
ations to  such  plants,  rather  than  to  see  the  abortive  at- 
tempts to  produce  flowers  made  by  plants  in  positions 
where  there  is  no  sunshine.  It  may  be  here  remarked, 
that  the  cultivator  of  plants  in  rooms  should  understand 
the  necessity  of  sunlight  to  plants  that  are  to  flower,  and 
endeavor  to  get  them  as  near  as  possible  to  a  window  hav- 
ing an  eastern  or  a  southern  aspect.  The  higher  the 
temperature,  the  more  plants  suffer  for  the  want  of  light. 
Many  plants,  such  as  Geraniums,  Fuchsias,  or  Roses, 
might  remain  in  a  temperature  of  forty  degrees,  in  a 
cellar  for  example,  away  from  direct  light,  for  months 
without  material  injury,  while  if  the  cellar  contained  a 


200  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASURE. 

furnace  keeping  up  a  temperature  of  seventy  degrees, 
they  would  all  die  before  the  winter  was  ended,  particu- 
larly if  the  plants  were  of  a  half-hardy  nature.  If  trop- 
ical species,  they  might  stand  it  better ;  but  all  plants 
quickly  become  enfeebled  when  kept  at  a  high  tempera- 
ture and  away  from  the  light. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

INSECTS  AND   OTHER  PARASITES   INJURIOUS  TO 
PLANTS. 

WHEN  insects  attack  plants  in  the  greenhouse,  parlor, 
or  anywhere  under  cover,  we  can  generally  manage  to 
get  them  under  control;  but  when  they  attack  plants  in 
the  open  air,  it  is,  according  to  our  experience,  difficult 
to  destroy  them.  Insects  are  injurious  to  plants  in  the 
open  air  in  two  principal  ways  :  some  attack  the  branches 
and  leaves,  and  others  infest  the  roots.  When  insects 
attack  the  roots  of  a  plant,  we  have  been  able  to  do  but 
little  to  stop  their  ravages.  We  can  manage  somewhat 
better  with  those  attacking  the  leaves,  but  even  this  di- 
vision of  the  enemy  is  often  too  much  for  us.  As  a  pre- 
ventive, we  would  strongly  advise  that  birds  of  all  kinds 
should  be  encouraged.  Since  the  European  Sparrows 
have  favored  us  with  their  presence  in  such  numbers,  in- 
sects of  nearly  all  kinds  have  much  decreased.  Most 
people  will  remember  the  disgusting  "measuring  worm" 
that  festooned  the  shade  trees  in  New  York,  Brooklyn, 
and  other  cities  twenty  years  ago.  These  made  their  exit 
almost  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  Sparrows,  and 
they  are  certainly  lessened  from  what  they  were  before 
the  introduction  of  the  Sparrow.  The  same  is  true  of 
the  Rose  Slug.  In  my  Rose  grounds,  a  few  years  ago, 
we  were  obliged  to  employ  a  number  of  boys  for  weeks 


INSECTS   AND   OTHER   PARASITES.  201 

during  the  summer  to  shake  off  and  kill  the  Rose  Slug, 
in  order  to  keep  the  plants  alive ;  but  since  we  have 
had  the  Sparrows  in  such  numbers,  hardly  one  of  these 
pests  is  now  seen.  An  examination  of  the  crop  of  a 
Sparrow  killed  in  July  showed  that  it  contained  Rose 
Slugs,  Aphis,  or  green  fly,  and  the  seeds  of  chickweed 
and  other  plants,  proving  beyond  question  the  fact  that 
they  are  promiscuous  feeders.  The  Rose  Slug  (Selandria 
rosce),  referred  to  above,  is  a  light  green,  soft  insect, 
varying  from  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  to  nearly  an  inch 
in  length.  There  are  apparently  two  species  or  varieties, 
one  of  which  eats  only  the  cuticle  of  the  lower  side  of 
the  leaf,  the  other  eats  it  entire.  The  first  is  by  far  the 
more  destructive  here.  In  a  few  days  after  the  plants 
are  attacked  they  appear  as  if  they  had  been  burned.  The 
Rose  Chaffer  (macrodactylus  subspinosus)  gets  its  name 
from  the  preference  it  shows  for  the  buds  and  blossoms 
of  the  Rose,  though  it  is  equally  destructive  to  the 
Dahlia,  Aster,  Balsam,  and  many  other  flowers,  and  es- 
pecially grape  blossoms. 

An  excellent  application  for  the  prevention  of  the  rav- 
ages of  the  Rose  Chaffer  or  the  Rose  Slug,  which  attacl 
the  hardy  or  June  Roses,  is  whale-oil  soap  dissolved  iB 
the  proportion  of  one  pound  to  eight  gallons  of  water. 
This,  if  steadily  applied  twice  a  week  witn,  a  syringe  on 
Rose  plants,  before  the  leaf  has  developed  in  spring,  will 
entirely  prevent  the  attacks  of  the  insects.  Anothei 
remedy  is  to  mix  an  ounce  of  Paris  green  in  one  hundred 
gallons  of  water,  and  syringe  as  advised  with  the  whale- 
oil  soap.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  quantity  of  Paris 
green  advised  is  very  small  to  be  mixed  in  such  a  quan- 
tity of  water ;  but  it  is  found  to  be  ample.  We  find, 
however,  that  if  the  Slug  once  gets  fairly  at  work,  either 
remedy  is  powerless  unless  used  so  strong  as  to  injure  the 
leaves. 

The  Rose  Bug,  so  called  (Aramigus  Fulleri),  is  the 


202  GARDENING    FOK   PLEASURE. 

most  destructive  of  all  insects  attacking  the  Rose  while 
forcing  in  winter ;  for  its  ravages  are  so  insidious  that 
often  the  whole  Rose  house  is  ruined  before  it  is  known, 
by  inexperienced  hands,  what  is  the  matter.  The  per- 
fect insect  somewhat  resembles  a  small  cockroach,  but  is 
of  a  grayish  brown  color.  It  is  not  easily  observed,  as  it 
keeps  always  under  the  leaves  or  close  to  the  stems  of  the 
plant,  and  its  presence  is  usually  first  noticed  by  half  cir- 
cular pieces  being  bitten  from  the  edges  of  the  leaves;  but 
it  does  comparatively  little  harm  in  that  way.  It  is  when 
it  deposits  its  eggs  in  the  soil  close  to  the  roots  that  the 
danger  begins.  The  eggs  in  a  few  weeks  hatch  out  into 
larva?,  which  at  once  attack,  and,  if  in  sufficient  num- 
bers, entirely  destroy  the  roots  of  the  Rose.  So  far  there 
is  no  known  remedy  against  the  Rose  Bug,  unless  it  be  to 
carefully  search  for  and  destroy  the  perfect  insect  on  the 
plant.  In  our  own  establishment  we  have  got  entirely 
free  from  it  by  persistent  care  in  destroying  the  insect  by 
picking  it  from  the  plants.  When  the  soil  has  become 
infested  by  the  larvae  or  maggots  of  the  Rose  Bug,  there 
is  no  remedy.  The  plants,  soil,  and  even  the  benches  of 
the  greenhouse  had  better  be  taken  out  and  burned  if  the 
insect  is  there  in  great  numbers.  Before  we  understood 
how  to  manage  it,  on  one  occasion  we  threw  out  and 
destroyed  the  plants,  soil,  and  benches  in  a  Rose  house 
three  hundred  feet  long  by  twenty  feet  wide.  Hundreds 
of  amateurs,  and  even  professional  florists,  fail  in  grow- 
ing Rose  buds  in  winter  from  no  other  cause  than  the 
ravages  of  this  insect. 

Green  Fly,  or  Aphis,  is  one  of  the  most  common,  but, 
fortunately,  most  easily  destroyed,  of  any  insect  that  in- 
fests plants,  either  in-doors  or  out.  In  our  greenhouses, 
as  already  stated,  we  fumigate  twice  a  week,  by  burning 
about  half  a  pound  of  refuse  tobacco  stems  (made  damp) 
to  every  five  hundred  square  feet  of  glass  surface  ;  but  in 
private  greenhouses,  or  on  plants  in  rooms,  fumigating  is 


INSECTS   AND   OTHER    PARASITES.  203 

often  impracticable.  Then  the  tobacco  stems  can  be 
used  by  steeping  one  pound  in  five  gallons  of  water,  until 
the  water  gets  to  be  the  color  of  strong  tea.  This  liquid, 
applied  over  and  under  the  leaves  with  a  syringe,  will  de- 
stroy the  insect  quite  as  well  as  by  fumigating,  only  in 
either  case  the  application  should  be  made  before  the 
insects  are  seen,  to  prevent  their  coming  rather  than  to 
destroy  them  when  established  ;  for  often  by  neglect  they 
get  a  foothold  in  such  legions  that  all  remedies  become 
ineffectual  to  dislodge  them.  Another  means  of  prevent- 
ing the  green  fly  is  to  apply  tobacco  in  the  shape  of  dust, 
or  the  sweepings  of  tobacco  warehouses,  which  can  be 
found  for  sale  in  most  seed  or  agricultural  establish- 
ments, at  a  cost  of  five  to  ten  cents  per  pound.  This,  ap- 
plied once  or  twice  a  week  to  an  ordinary  sized  private 
greenhouse,  would  effectually  prevent  any  injury  from 
green  fly.  No  special  quantity  of  this  need  be  prescribed, 
as  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  see  that  it  is  so  dusted  on 
that  it  reaches  all  parts  of  the  plant  and  on  both  sides  of 
the  leaves.  It  it  best  to  slightly  syringe  the  plants  be- 
forehand, so  that  the  dust  will  adhere  to  the  leaves. 
W.hen  applied  to  plants  out-doors,  it  should  be  done  in 
the  morning  when  the  dew  is  on.  Fruit-trees  of  many 
kinds,  shrubs,  Roses  of  all  kinds,  Chrysanthemums, 
and  many  other  plants  grown  out  of  doors,  are  particu- 
larly liable  to  injury  from  some  species  of  Aphis  ;  but 
the  application  of  tobacco  dust,  if  made  in  time,  will  be 
found  a  cheap  and  effectual  remedy. 

Ground  or  Blue  Aphisis  a  close  relative  of  the  preced- 
ing, but  it  gets  its  living  from  the  roots  down  in  the  soil, 
while  the  Green  and  Black  Aphis  feed  in  the  air  on  the 
leaves.  The  Bine  Aphis  attacks  a  great  many  varieties  of 
plants,  particularly  in  hot,  dry  weather ;  and  whenever 
Asters,  Verbenas,  Petunias,  Centaureas,  or  such  plants 
begin  to  droop,  it  will  be  found  on  examination,  in  three 
cases  out  of  four,  that  the  farthest  extremities  of  their 


204  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASUKE. 

roots  are  completely  surrounded  by  the  Blue  Aphis.  The 
only  remedy  we  have  ever  found  for  this  pest  is  a  strong 
decoction  of  tobacco,  made  so  strong  as  to  resemble  black 
coffee  in  color.  The  earth  around  the  plants  must  be 
soaked  with  this,  so  that  the  lowest  roots  will  be  reached. 
The  tobacco  water  will  not  hurt  the  plants,  but  will  be 
fatal  to  the  insect,  and,  if  it  has  not  already  damaged 
the  roots  to  too  great  an  extent,  may  prove  a  remedy. 

Ants. — These  are  not  usually  troublesome  in  the  open 
ground,  unless  on  lawns.  (For  remedies  there  see  Chap- 
ter on  '-Lawns.")  In  greenhouses,  however,  they  are  one 
of  the  worst  pests,  not  so  much  from  the  injury  they  do 
themselves  as  by  their  carrying  mealy  bug,  green  fly,  and 
other  insects,  so  that  from  one  plant  thus  affected  the 
ants  will  soon  distribute  them  over  all  the  plants  in  the 
greenhouse.  A  simple  method  we  have  found  to  get  rid 
of  them,  is  to  lay  fresh  bones  around  the  infested  plants. 
They  will  leave  everything  to  feed  on  these,  and  when 
thus  accumulated  may  be  easily  destroyed.  Another 
method  is  to  blow  Pyrethrum  or  Persian  Insect  Powder 
over  them  with  a  bellows.  They  are  killed  at  once  if  the 
powder  strikes  them  in  a  dry  state  ;  but  it  has  no  effect 
if  damp,  for,  when  strewed  in  their  haunts,  they  run  over 
it  with  impunity. 

The  Red  Spider  is  one  of  the  most  insidious  enemies 
of  plants,  both  when  under  glass  and  in  the  open  air  in 
summer.  It  luxuriates  in  a  hot  and  dry  atmosphere, 
and  the  only  remedy  that  I  can  safely  recommend  to  am- 
ateurs is  copious  syringings  with  water,  if  in  the  green- 
house, so  that  a  moist  atmosphere  can  be  obtained.  This, 
of  course,  is  not  practicable  when  plants  are  grown  in 
rooms,  and  the  only  thing  that  can  then  be  done  is  to 
sponge  off  the  leaves.  It  is  this  insect,  more  than  any- 
thing else,  that  makes  it  so  difficult  to  grow  plants  in  the 
dry  air  of  the  sitting-room,  as  it  may  be  sapping  the  life 
blood  from  a  plant,  and  its  owner  never  discover  the 


INSECTS   AND   OTHER  PARASITES.  205 

cause  of  his  trouble.  It  is  so  minute  as  hardly  to  be 
seen  by  the  naked  eye,  but  its  ravages  soon  show;  and  if 
the  leaves  of  your  plants  begin  to  get  brown,  an  exami- 
nation of  the  under  surface  of  the  leaf  will  usually  reveal 
the  little  pests  in  great  numbers.  When  they  get  thus 
established  there  is  no  remedy  but  to  sponge  the  leaves 
thoroughly  with  water  or  weak  soapsuds. 

The  Mealy  Bug,  as  it  is  generally  called,  is  a  white 
mealy  or  downy-looking  insect,  which  is  often  very  trou- 
blesome among  hothouse  plants,  but  rarely  does  any  harm 
among  those  that  can  live  in  a  cool  room.  It  is  a  native 
of  some  tropical  latitudes,  and  can  only  exist  in  such  a 
temperature  as  is  required  by  plants  of  that  class.  There 
are  various  remedies  used  by  florists,  but  the  safest  is  to 
use  Cole's  Insect  Destroyer,  a  remedy  that  never  fails  to 
destroy  this  insect,  without  injury  to  the  plant,  when 
sprayed  on  the  plants  by  a  barber's  atomizer.  On  a  large 
scale  we  find  a  certain  remedy  in  the  use  of  one  pint  of 
Fir  Tree  Oil  to  ten  gallons  of  water,  applied  by  the  syringe 
once  a  week.  In  fact,  we  find  the  use  of  Fir  Tree  Oil  in 
this  proportion  a  safe  and  sure  remedy  against  all  insect 
life;  but  its  application  must  be  continuous,  and  at  least 
once  a  week. 

Brown  and  White  Scale  Insects. — These  appear  as  if 
lifeless,  and  adhere  closely  to  the  stems  of  such  plants  as 
Oleanders,  Ivies,  etc.,  and,  like  the  Mealy  Bug,  are  best 
destroyed  by  being  washed  or  rubbed  off.  Kemedy,  when 
on  a  large  scale,  is  Fir  Tree  Oil. 

TJirips. — This  is  an  insect  varying  in  color  from  light 
yellow  to  dark  brown,  and  much  more  active  in  its  move- 
ments than  the  Green  Fly,  and  more  difficult  to  destroy. 
When  it  once  gets  a  foothold  it  is  very  destructive.  It 
succumbs  to  tobacco  in  any  of  the  forms  recommended 
for  the  destruction  of  Green  Fly,  but  not  so  readily.  It 
luxuriates  in  shaded  situations,  and  generally  abounds 
where  plants  are  standing  too  thickly  together,  or  where 


206  GARDENING    FOB   PLEASURE. 

ventilation  or  light  is  deficient.  It  may  be  safely  as- 
serted, that  in  any  well-regulated  place  where  plants  are 
kept,  no  injury  from  this  or  Green  Fly  will  ever  become 
serious  if  due  attention  has  been  given  to  keeping  the 
atmosphere  of  the  place  moist,  and  using  tobacco  freely 
in  any  of  the  forms  we  have  recommended. 

The  Angle  Worm. — This  is  the  common  worm  seen  in 
every  soil  in  pots  and  in  the  open  ground.  It  is  harmless 
so  far  as  feeding  goes,  for  it  seems  never  to  touch  plants 
as  food  ;  but  it  bores  and  crawls  around  in  a  way  by  no 
means  beneficial  to  pot-grown  plants.  It  is,  however, 
easily  dislodged.  By  slaking  a  quart  of  lime  and  adding 
water  to  make  up  ten  gallons  of  the  liquid,  and  watering 
the  plants  with  it  after  it  has  become  clear,  the  caustic 
qualities  of  the  lime  will  be  quickly  fatal  to  the  worm. 
When  troublesome  in  the  open  ground,  «sow  slaked  lime 
on  the  dug  or  plowed  surface  about  as  thickly  as  sand 
is  strewn  on  a  floor,  and  rake  or  harrow  it  in,  so  as  to 
mix  it  with  the  soil.  Some  writers  have  asserted  that  the 
Angle  Worm  benefits  the  soil  by  its  movements  through 
it.  Few  practical  gardeners  will  believe  this,  as  they  are 
usually  destroyed  on  sight  by  all  workers  in  the  soil. 

MILDEW. 

Mildew  is  a  parasitical  fungus,  often  seen  on  green- 
house and  other  plants,  and  is  quickly  destructive  to 
their  health.  But,  as  with  all  other  plant  troubles,  it  is 
best  to  prevent  it  rather  than  cure.  Care  should  be 
taken,  particularly  where  Roses  or  Grapevines  are  grown 
under  glass  (as  both  of  these  are  especially  liable  to  be 
attacked),  to  avoid  a  rapid  change  of  temperature,  or  a 
long  exposure  to  sudden  chill  by  draughts  in  ventilating. 
As  soon  as  spots  of  grayish-white  appear  on  the  leaves  of 
Roses  or  Grapevines,  either  out-doors  or  under  glass,  it 
is  certain  that  mildew  is  present ;  but  if  it  has  not  been 


INSECTS   AND   OTHER   PARASITES.  207 

neglected  too  long,  the  following  preparation  will  usually 
be  found  a  prompt  remedy  :  Take  three  pounds  each  of 
flowers  of  sulphur  and  quick-lime,  put  together  and  slake 
the  lime,  and  add  six  gallons  of  water  ;  then  boil  all  to- 
gether until  the  liquid  is  reduced  to  two  gallons,  allow  it 
to  settle  until  it  gets  clear,  and  bottle  for  use.  One  gill 
only  of  this  is  to  be  mixed  in  five  gallons  of  water,  and 
syringed  over  the  plants  in  the  evening,  taking  care  not 
to  use  it  on  the  fruit  when  ripe,  as  it  would  communicate 
a  taste  and  smell  which  would  render  it  useless.  Applied 
in  this  weak  state,  it  does  not  injure  the  leaves,  and  yet 
has  the  power  to  destroy  the  low  form  of  vegetable  growth 
which  we  call  mildew.  We  apply  it  just  as  we  do  to- 
bacco, once  or  twice  a  week,  as  a  preventive,  and  we 
rarely  have  a  speck  of  mildew.  Another  remedy,  not 
quite  so  good,  but  easier  to  get,  is  to  mix  one  pound  of 
virgin  sulphur  with  ten  pounds  of  tobacco  dust,  and 
throw  this  mixture  with  a  bellows  on  the  leaves  of  Grape- 
vines or  Roses  outside  when  the  dew  is  on,  so  that  it  shall 
adhere  ;  or,  if  in  the  greenhouse,  after  syringing.  If 
this  is  done  once  or  twice  a  week  the  mildew  or  aphis 
will  never  get  much  of  a  foothold,  the  sulphur  being  the 
specific  against  the  mildew  and  the  tobacco  dust  check- 
ing the  aphis. 

These  remedies  are  such  as  are  employed  at  seasons  when 
there  is  no  artificial  heat  used  in  the  greenhouse  or  the 
grapery  ;  but  when  fire  heat  is  applied  to  the  flue,  steam,  or 
hot-water  pipes,  then  the  most  certain  preventive  of  mildew 
is  to  mix  lime  and  sulphur  with  water  to  the  consistency 
of  thick  whitewash,  and  apply  it  to  the  upper  surface  of 
the  hot-water  pipes.  This  can  be  done  with  perfect 
safety  to  hot- water  pipes,  and  it  had  better  be  done  two 
or  three  times  during  the  winter.  It  can  also  be  safely 
applied  to  steam  pipes  heated  by  low  pressure  steam,  if 
one-fourth  of  the  surface  of  the  pipe  only  is  covered. 
With  flues  it  should  only  be  applied  at  the  cold  end. 


208  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

The  fumes  of  sulphur  thus  slowly  evolved  by  the  water 
or  steam  pipes  is  certain  destruction  to  mildew,  and  there 
is  no  danger  whatever  to  the  foliage  if  the  precautions 
given  are  taken.  It  is  our  own  practice  to  wash  our  hot- 
water  and  steam  pipes  four  or  five  times  during  winter 
with  this  sulphur  wash. 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 
FROZEN    PLANTS. 

WHEN  by  any  mishap  the  plants,  whether  in  parlor  or 
greenhouse,  become  frozen,  either  at  once  remove  them 
(taking  care  not  to  touch  the  leaves)  to  some  place  warm 
enough  to  be  just  above  the  point  of  freezing ;  or,  if 
there  are  too  many  to  do  that,  get  up  the  fire  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  and  raise  the  temperature.  The  usual  advice 
is  to  sprinkle  the  leaves  and  shade  the  plants  from  the 
sun.  We  have  never  found  either  remedy  of  any  avail 
with  frozen  plants,  and  the  sprinkling  is  often  a  serious 
injury  if  done  before  the  temperature  is  above  the  freez- 
ing point.  In  our  experience  with  thousands  of  frozen 
plants,  we  have  tried  all  manner  of  expedients,  and  found 
no  better  method  than  to  get  them  out  of  the  freezing 
atmosphere  as  quickly  as  possible ;  and  we  have  also 
found  that  the  damage  is  in  proportion  to  the  succulent 
condition  of  the  plant  and  the  intensity  of  the  freezing. 
Just  what  degree  of  cold  plants  in  any  given  condition 
can  endure  without  injury,  we  are  unable  to  state.  Plants 
are  often  frozen  so  that  the  leaves  hang  down,  but  when 
thawed  out  are  found  to  be  not  at  all  injured.  At  an- 
other time  the  same  low  temperature  acting  on  the  same 
kind  of  plants  may  kill  them  outright  if  they  happen  to 
be  growing  more  thriftily,  and  are  full  of  sap.  Much 
depends  on  the  temperature  at  which  plants  have  been 


MULCHING.  209 

growing  ;  for  example,  we  find,  if  we  have  a  warm  spell 
in  fall  when,  for  a  week  or  so,  the  temperature  has  been 
at  sixty-five  or  seventy  degrees  at  night  with  ten  to  fifteen 
degrees  more  in  the  open  air,  that  a  slight  frost  will  kill 
or  greatly  injure  such  half-hardy  plants  as  Carnations, 
Geraniums,  or  monthly  Roses  ;  but  should  the  weather 
be  such  as  to  gradually  get  colder,  so  that  the  tempera- 
ture has  been  lowered  twenty  to  twenty-five  degrees,  a 
slight  frost  then  coming  will  do  little  or  no  injury  to 
such  plants.  When  the  frost  is  penetrating  into  a  green- 
house or  room  in  which  plants  are  kept,  and  the  heating 
arrangements  are  inadequate  to  keep  it  out,  the  best 
thing  to  do  is  to  cover  the  plants  with  paper  (newspapers) 
or  sheeting.  Thus  protected,  most  plants  will  be  en- 
abled to  resist  four  or  five  degrees  of  frost.  Paper  is 
rather  better  than  sheeting  for  this  purpose. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
MULCHING. 

LITTER  of  any  kind  placed  around  newly-planted  trees 
to  prevent  evaporation  from  the  soil  was  the  original 
meaning  of  mulch;  but  it  is  at  present  extended  to  in- 
clude a  covering  of  the  soil  applied  at  any  time,  and  for 
very  different  purposes.  Good  cultivators  apply  hay, 
straw,  or  other  litter  to  the  surface  of  the  soil  to  protect 
the  roots  of  certain  plants  against  the  action  of  frost,  it 
being  useful,  not  so  much  against  freezing  as  to  prevent 
the  alternate  freezing  and  thawing  that  is  apt  to  occur 
in  our  variable  and  uncertain  climate,  even  in  mid-win- 
ter. As  stated  under  "  Strawberry  Culture,"  the  mulch 
applied  in  the  fall  protects  the  roots  during  winter.  It 
is  allowed  to  remain  on  the  bed,  where,  if  thick  enough, 
it  keeps  down  weeds,  and  prevents  the  evaporation  of 


210  GARDENING    FOB   PLEASURE. 

moisture  from  the  soil  during  the  dry  time  we  are  apt  to 
have  between  the  flowering  and  the  ripening  of  the  Straw- 
berry. Besides  all  this,  it  makes  a  clean  bed  for  the  fruit 
to  rest  upon,  and  should  a  driving  shower  come  up  as 
the  fruit  is  ripening,  there  is  no  danger  that  the  berries 
will  be  splashed  with  mud  and  spoiled.  The  utility  of  a 
mulch  is  not  confined  to  the  Strawberry  among  fruits. 
Raspberries  and  Currants  are  much  benefited  by  it,  and 
by  its  use  a  gardener  of  my  acquaintance  succeeds  in 
growing  fine  crops  of  the  choice  varieties  of  English 
Gooseberries,  a  fruit  with  which  very  few  succeed  in  our 
hot  summers.  Newly-planted  trees,  whether  of  fruit  or 
ornamental  kinds,  are  much  benefited  by  a  mulch,  and 
its  application  often  settles  the  question  of  success  or 
failure.  We  have  known  a  whole  Pear  orchard  to  be 
mulched,  and  the  owner  thought  its  cost  was  more  than 
repaid  by  saving  the  fallen  fruit  from  bruises.  The  root- 
ing of  a  layer  is  by  some  gardeners  thought  to  be  facili- 
tated by  placing  a  flat  stone  over  the  buried  branch;  the 
fact  being  that  the  stone  acts  as  a  mulch,  and  prevents 
the  soil  around  the  cut  portion  from  drying  out,  and 
greatly  favors  the  rooting  process.  Even  in  the  vegetable 
garden  mulching  is  found  useful,  especially  with  Cauli- 
flowers, which  find  our  summers  quite  too  dry. 

The  material  of  the  mulch  is  not  of  much  importance, 
the  effect  being  mainly  mechanical,  and  one  kind  of  litter 
will  answer  as  well  as  another.  The  material  will  be  gov- 
erned in  great  measure  by  locality.  Those  living  near 
salt  water  will  find  salt  hay,  as  hay  from  the  marshes  is 
called,  the  most  readily  procured.  Those  who  live  near 
pine  forests  use  the  fallen  leaves,  or  pine  needles,  as  they 
are  called.  In  the  grain-growing  districts  straw  is  abund- 
ant, and  nothing  can  be  better.  It  can  be  applied  more 
thoroughly  if  run  through  a  cutter,  though  the  thrashing 
machine  often  makes  it  short  enough.  Leaves  are  na- 
ture's own  mulch,  and  answer  admirably.  If  there  is 


SHADING.  211 

danger  of  their  being  blown  away,  brush  laid  over  them, 
or  even  a  little  earth  sprinkled  on  them,  will  keep  them 
in  place.  Tan-bark  and  sawdust  may  serve  for  some 
uses,  but  they  are  very  bad  for  Strawberries,  their  finer 
particles  being  about  as  objectionable  as  the  soil.  One 
of  the  best  materials  to  use  for  Strawberry  mulching  is 
the  green  grass  mowed  from  lawns.  This,  applied  to  the 
thickness  of  two  or  three  inches  around  the  roots  of 
Strawberries  or  other  small  fruits,  will  be  found  not  only 
to  greatly  benefit  the  crop,  particularly  in  dry  weather, 
but  will  save  greatly  in  labor  by  preventing  the  growth 
of  weeds.  One  of  our  best  private  gardeners  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  New  York  has  adopted  this  summer  mulching  with 
the  grass  from  the  lawn  for  nearly  twenty  years,  and  has 
succeeded  in  growing  all  kinds  of  small  fruits  in  the 
highest  degree  of  perfection. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 
SHADING. 

IN  mulching  the  object  is  to  prevent  evaporation  from, 
the  soil,  as  well  as  to  shield  the  roots  from  sudden 
changes  of  temperature.  It  is  often  necessnry  to  protect 
the  whole  plant  in  this  respect,  and  this  is  accomplished 
by  shading.  Although,  on  a  large  scale,  we  can  do 
little  in  the  way  of  shading  plants  in  the  open  ground, 
yet  the  amateur  will  often  find  it  of  great  utility,  as 
screening  will  frequently  save  a  recently  transplanted 
plant,  which  without  it  would  be  quite  ruined  by  a  few 
hours'  exposure  to  the  sun.  For  shading  small  plants  in 
the  border,  such  as  transplanted  annuals,  a  few  shingles 
will  be  found  very  useful.  One  or  two  of  these  can  be 
stuck  in  the  ground  so  as  to  completely  protect  the  deli- 


212  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

cate  plant,  and  yet  not  deprive  it  of  air.  Six-inch  boards 
of  half-inch  stuff  nailed  together  to  form  a  V  shaped 
trough  are  very  useful  in  the  garden.  They  are  handy 
to  place  over  small  plants  during  cold  nights,  and  may 
be  turned  over  and  set  to  make  a  screen  against  strong 
winds,  or  used  for  shading  plants  in  rows. 

Seedlings  often  suffer  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  the 
middle  of  the  day;  the  seedlings  of  even  the  hardiest  forest 
trees  are  very  delicate  when  young.  The  seeds  of  such  trees 
when  sown  naturally  almost  always  fall  where  the  young 
plant  will  be  shaded,  and  the  amateur  who  experiments 
in  this  very  interesting  branch  of  horticulture,  the  rais- 
ing of  evergreen  and  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs  from 
seed,  will  find  it  necessary  to  imitate  Nature,  and  protect 
his  young  seedlings  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun. 
There  are  several  ways  of  doing  this.  If  the  seeds  have 
been  sown  in  an  open  border,  let  him  take  twigs  about  a 
foot  long,  evergreen  if  they  can  be  had,  but,  if  not,  those 
from  any  deciduous  tree,  and  stick  them  a  few  inches 
apart  all  over  the  bed.  This  will  give  the  seedlings  very 
much  such  a  protection  as  they  would  naturally  have  had 
in  the  shade  of  other  plants  ;  and  though  evergreens  will 
look  better  for  a  while,  the  dead  leaves  of  deciduous 
twigs  will  give  quite  as  useful  a  shade, 

It  is  always  safer  to  sow  seeds  in  a  frame,  as  the  young 
plants  are  then  under  more  complete  control.  Frames 
are  easily  shaded  by  means  of  a  lattice  made  of  common 
laths.  Strips  of  inch  stuff,  an  inch  and  a  half  or  two 
inches  wide,  are  used  for  the  sides  of  the  lattice,  and 
laths  are  nailed  across  as  far  apart  as  their  own  width. 
One  lath  being  nailed  on,  another  is  laid  down  to  mark 
the  distance,  the  third  one  put  down  and  nailed,  and  the 
second  lath  is  moved  along  to  mark  the  distance  for  the 
fourth,  and  so  on.  With  a  screen  of  this  kind  there  is 
abundant  light,  but  the  sun  does  not  shine  long  at  a 
time  on  one  spot,  and  the  plants  have  a  constantly  chang- 


SHADING.  213 

ing  sun  and  shade.  This  lath  screen  may  be  used  for 
shading  plants  in  the  open  ground,  if  supported  at  a 
proper  hight  above  them.  In  a  propagating  house, 
where  it  is  necessary,  as  it  often  is,  to  shade  cuttings,  a 
lattice  laid  upon  the  outside  of  the  glass  answers  a  good 
purpose.  The  laths  are  sometimes  tied  together  with 
strong  twine,  the  cord  answering  the  place  of  slats,  and 
serving  as  a  warp  with  which  the  laths  are  woven ;  the 
advantage  of  a  screen  of  this  kind  being  that  it  can  be 
rolled  up.  Another  and  excellent  screen  to  shade  is  to 
make  frames  three  by  six  feet  of  the  "  Protecting  Cloth" 
already  alluded  to  in  the  chapter  on  "Greenhouses  or  Pits 
without  Artificial  Heat."  Plants  kept  in  windows  dur- 
ing summer  months  will,  if  in  a  sunny  exposure,  require 
some  kind  of  a  shade,  and  if  the  one  provided  to  keep 
the  sun  from  the  room  shuts  out  too  much  light,  or  ex- 
cludes air  as  well  as  sun,  something  must  be  provided 
which  will  give  protection  during  the  heat  of  the  day, 
and  still  allow  sufficient  light  and  an  abundant  circu- 
lation of  air.  Any  one  with  ingenuity  can  arrange  a 
screen  of  white  cotton  cloth  to  answer  the  purpose. 

The  old  practice  of  stripping  the  greenhouse  in  sum- 
mer is  falling  into  disuse.  By  a  proper  selection  of 
plants  and  sufficient  shade,  it  is  made  as  attractive  then 
as  at  any  other  season  ;  but  even  for  tropical  plants  the 
glass  must  be  shaded.  For  a  small  lean-to,  a  screen  of 
lisrht  canvas,  muslin,  or  the  "Protecting  Cloth,"  ar- 
ranged upon  the  outside,  so  that  it  may  be  wound  up 
on  a  roller  when  not  wanted,  will  answer  ;  and  if  it  be  de- 
sired to  keep  the  house  as  cool  as  possible,  this  should  be 
so  contrived  that  there  will  be  a  space  of  six  inches  or  so 
between  that  and  the  glass.  But  upon  a  large  house,  or 
one  with  a  curvilinear  roof,  this  is  not  so  manageable, 
and  the  usual  method  is  to  coat  the  glass  with  some  ma- 
terial which  will  obstruct  a  part  of  the  light.  The  most 
common  method  is  to  give  the  outside  of  the  glass  a  coat 


214  QARDEXIXG   FOR   PLEASURE. 

of  lime  whitewash  made  very  thin.  This  makes  a  suffi- 
cient shade,  and  is  gradually  dissolved  by  the  rains,  so  that 
by  autumn  the  coating  is  removed,  or  so  nearly  so  that 
what  remains  may  be  readily  washed  off.  A  more  pleasant 
effect  is  produced  by  spattering  the  glass  with  a  prepara- 
tion of  naphtha  and  white  lead,  made  so  thin  as  to  resem- 
ble skimmed  milk.  This  can  be  put  on  by  a  syringe  at  a 
cost  not  to  exceed  twenty-five  cents  for  every  thousand 
square  feet  of  glass.  It  is  best  to  put  it  on  gradually,  be- 
ginning in  May  by  lightly  covering  the  glass  in  numer- 
ous fine  drops,  like  rain  drops,  and  increasing  its  thickness 
as  the  season  advances. 

Whatever  may  be  the  means  of  effecting  it,  we  find 
that  in  this  latitude  shading  of  some  kind  is  required 
from  about  the  first  of  May  to  the  middle  of  September 
by  nearly  all  plants  grown  under  glass.  Ferns,  Lycopods, 
Caladiums,  Primulas,  Fuchsias,  Begonias,  Gloxinias, 
Achimenes,  Lobelias,  Smilax,  and  plants  of  that  charac- 
ter require  the  glass  to  be  heavily  shaded,  while  Roses, 
Carnations,  Bouvardias,  Poinsettias,  Geraniums  of  all 
kinds,  and  nearly  all  succulent  plants,  do  not  need  so 
much.  The  method  of  spattering  the  glass  outside  with 
the  preparation  of  naphtha  and  white  lead,  allows  the 
shading  to  be  light  or  heavy,  as  required.  When  first 
done,  it  is  spattered  very  thinly,  merely  to  break  the 
strong  glare  of  the  sun,  just  about  thick  enough  to  half 
cover  the  surface.  As  the  season  advances,  the  spatter- 
ing should  be  repeated  to  increase  the  shade,  but  at  no 
time  for  the  plants  last  mentioned  do  we  entirely  cover 
the  glass.  In  England,  especially  for  Fern  houses, 
Brunswick  green  mixed  with  milk  is  used,  to  give  a 
green  shade,  which  is  thought  to  be  best  suited  to  these 
plants.  The  blue  glass  for  greenhouses  which  was  so 
highly  lauded  a  few  years  ago  has  not  met  with  much 
favor ;  but  recent  experiments  in  glazing  with  ground 
glass  have  given  such  results  as  to  warrant  the  use  of  it 


THE   LAW   OF   COLOR  IN   FLOWERS.  215 

on  houses  in  which  nearly  all  kinds  of  plants  are  grown, 
except  Eoses,  Grapes,  Strawberries,  or  other  plants  the 
flowers  and  fruit  of  which  are  wanted  in  midwinter. 
At  that  season  all  the  light  possible  is  required ;  and  al- 
though ground  glass  but  slightly  obscures  the  light,  yet 
it  is  found  that  it  does  not  answer  so  well  as  clear  glass 
from  the  middle  of  December  to  the  middle  of  January. 
Before  or  after  these  dates  it  can  be  used  to  advantage 
fox  any  greenhouse  purpose. 


CHAPTER     XXXVIII. 
THE  LAW  OF  COLOR  IN  FLOWERS. 

I  REFER  to  this  matter  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be  the 
means  of  saving  some  of  my  readers,  not  only  from  being 
duped  and  swindled  by  a  class  of  itinerant  scamps  that 
annually  reap  a  rich  harvest  in  disposing  of  impossibili- 
ties in  flowers,  but  that  I  may  assure  them  of  the  utter 
improbability  of  their  ever  seeing  such  wonders  as  these 
fellows  offer,  thereby  saving  them  from  parting  with 
money  for  worthless  objects,  and  from  the  ridicule  of 
their  friends  who  are  already  better  advised.  This  sub- 
ject cannot  ba  too  often  brought  before  our  amateur  hor- 
ticulturists. Warnings  are  given  year  after  year  in  lead- 
ing agricultural  and  other  journals  devoted  to  gardening, 
yet  a  new  crop  of  dupes  is  always  coming  up,  who  readily 
fall  victims  to  the  scoundrels  who  live  upon  their  credu- 
lity. Not  a  season  passes  but  some  of  these  swindling 
dealers  have  the  audacity  to  plant  themselves  right  in 
the  business  centers  of  our  large  cities,  and  hundreds  of 
our  sharp  business  men  glide  smoothly  into  their  nets. 
The  very  men  who  will  chuckle  at  the  misfortunes  of  a 
poor  rustic  when  he  falls  into  the  hands  of  a  mock 


216  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

auctioneer,  or  a  pocket-book  dropper,  will  freely  pay  ten 
dollars  for  a  rose  plant  of  which  a  picture  has  been  shown 
them  as  having  a  blue  flower  ;  the  chance  of  its  coming 
blue  being  about  equal  to  the  chance  that  the  watch  of  the 
mock  auctioneer  will  be  gold.  It  has  long  been  known 
among  the  best  observers  of  such  matters,  that  in  certain 
families  of  plants  particular  colors  prevail,  and  that  in 
no  single  instance  can  we  ever  expect  to  see  blue,  yellow, 
and  scarlet  colors  in  varieties  of  the  same  species.  If  any 
one  at  all  conversant  with  plants  will  bring  any  family  of 
them  to  mind,  it  will  at  once  be  seen  how  undeviating  is 
this  law.  In  the  Dahlia  we  have  scarlet  and  yellow,  but 
no  approach  to  blue,  and  so  in  the  Rose,  Hollyhock,  etc. 
Again,  in  the  Verbena,  Sal  via,  etc.,  we  have  scarlet  and 
blue,  but  no  yelloio  !  In  the  Hyacinth  we  have  blue  and 
a  fairly  good  yellow,  but  no  scarlet.  Some  have  con- 
tended that  in  this  family  we  have  the  combination,  for 
of  course  we  have  crimson  ;  but  crimson  is  not  scarlet  any 
more  than  blue  is  purple.  If  we  reflect  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  is  nothing  out  of  the  order  of  Nature  in  this 
arrangement.  We  never  expect  to  see  among  our  poul- 
try, with  their  varied  but  somber  plumage,  any  assume 
the  azure  hues  of  our  spring  Blue-bird  or  the  dazzling 
tints  of  the  Oriole  ;  why,  then,  should  we  expect  Nature 
to  step  out  of  what  seems  her  fixed  laws,  and  give  us  a 
blue  Rose,  a  blue  Dahlia,  or  a  yellow  Verbena  ? 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 
HUMBUGS  IN  HORTICULTURE. 

A  PAPER  under  this  head  was  read  by  me  at  a  meeting 
of  the  National  Association  of  Nurserymen  and  Florists 
held  at  Chicago,  111.,  June  16th,  1880;  and  although  it 
has  already  in  part  been  published  in  my  work,  "  Garden 
and  Farm  Topics,"  yet  I  take  the  liberty  of  again  repeat- 


HUMBUGS   IN    HORTICULTURE.  217 

ing  the  main  parts  of  it  here,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  be 
the  means  of  preventing  my  amateur  readers  (those  who 
are  "gardening  for  pleasure")  from  falling  into  the 
many  traps  set  for  them  by  those  who  make  a  business 
of  swindling  in  trees,  plants,  seeds,  or  fertilizers. 

The  lifetime  experience  of  any  man  is  not  too  short 
to  be  imposed  upon  by  many  of  the  hundreds  of  old  va- 
rieties of  fruits,  flowers,  or  vegetables  that  are  sent  out 
annually  under  new  names.  Any  well-posted  nursery- 
man can  easily  detect  when  a  Bartlett  Pear  or  a  Baldwin 
Apple  appears  under  a  new  name  ;  or  a  florist,  making  a 
specialty  of  Roses,  knows,  as,  for  example,  when,  some 
years  ago,  the  old  Solfaterre  Rose  was  sent  out  under  the 
name  of  "  Augusta  "  (claiming  it  to  be  hardy  in  every  State 
of  the  Union,  and  sold  as  a  great  bargain  at  five  dollars 
apiece),  that  the  venders  thereof  were  either  swindlers  or 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  business  they  had  embarked  in  ; 
or  when  the  confiding  market  gardener  is  induced  to  buy 
a  new  and  superior  Cabbage  or  Tomato  seed  at  five  dollars 
an  ounce,  and  finds  them  identical  with  varieties  that  he 
can  buy  at  half  that  price  per  pound,  he  has  good  reason  to 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  man  from  whom  he  pur- 
chased was  either  a  humbug  or  else  unfitted,  from  his 
ignorance,  to  engage  in  the  business  of  a  seedsman. 
.  But,  unfortunately,  from  the  varied  nature  of  these 
impostures,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  mete  out  justice 
to  those  who,  knowingly  or  otherwise,  place  such  swindles 
on  the  horticultural  community;  for  the  man  who  grows 
fruit  trees  is  as  likely  to  know  as  little  about  Roses  as  the 
man  who  grows  Roses  is  to  know  about  fruit  trees,  and 
either  is  less  likely  to  be  posted  on  the  merits  of  vege- 
tables. So,  then,  if  the  partly  experienced  horticulturist 
may  be  imposed  upon  in  such  a  way,  how  safe  is  the 
field  when  the  swindler  tries  his  tricks  upon  the  general 
public  ? 

The  sharp  man  of  the  city  falls  as  quickly  into  the 


213  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

trap  of  the  horticultural  swindler  as  the  veriest  rustic,  be- 
cause his  city  experience  of  impostures  in  other  matters 
helps  him  nothing  in  this.  He  may  not  be  much  trou- 
bled when  he  sees  a  bootblack  fall  off  the  dock  into  the 
river,  particularly  if  his  companion  plays  off  the  heroic 
role,  and  plunges  in  after  him  to  the  rescue.  He  under- 
stands it  all,  for  both  can  swim  like  ducks,  and  there  was 
no  more  danger  for  the  first  than  for  the  second,  and 
none  for  either.  A  well-stuffed  pocket-book  snatched 
from  under  his  feet  is  an  incident  that  does  not  in  the 
least  arouse  his  cupidity,  for  he  has  long  been  conversant 
with  the  trick  of  the  pocket-book  dropper.  The  mock 
auctioneer  may  scream  himself  hoarse, offering  gold  watches 
at  five  dollars  apiece,  and  it  hardly  elicits  a  smile  of 
derision.  The  tears  of  the  benighted  orphan  in  search 
of  his  uncle  does  not  bring  a  dime  from  his  pocket,  for 
he  understands  it  all,  together  with  a  score  more  of  the 
tricks  of  the  great  city.  But  in  the  springtime,  when 
his  garden  instincts  begin  to  bud,  and  he  sees  in  some 
window  in  Broadway  flaming  representations  of  fruits 
and  flowers,  he  falls  into  the  trap  and  is  ready  for  the 
spoiler. 

Some  years  ago  I  had  occasion  to  act  as  an  amateur 
detective  in  one  of  these  horticultural  swindling  shops, 
the  owners  of  which  are  now  known  in  New  York  as  the 
"Blue  Rose  Men."  When  I  arrived,  there  were  at  least 
a  dozen  ladies  and  gentlemen  engaged  in  buying  seeds, 
bulbs,  and  plants,  the  flowers  and  fruits  of  which  were 
represented  by  the  pictures  on  the  walls  :  for  example, 
Asparagus  was  shown  as  having  shoots  as  thick  as  a 
broom  handle,  the  seeds  of  which  were  selling  rapidly  at 
one  cent  apiece,  warranted  to  produce  a  crop  in  three 
months  from  the  time  of  sowing.  An  old  lady  bad  just 
become  the  possessor  of  five  dollars'  worth,  and  seemed 
deligh  ted  with  her  bargain. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  pictures  on  the  wall  was 


HUMBUGS   IN   HORTICULTURE.  219 

an  immense  colored  engraving,  showing  a  tree,  on  which 
Strawberries  were  growing,  and  as  big  as  Oranges.  My 
gaze  was  attracted  to  a  handsome  plate  of  Blue  Moss 
Roses,  and  I  modestly  asked  the  price  of  the  plants.  The 
polite  Frenchman  (who  was  doing  the  principal  selling 
for  the  concern)  whisked  out  from  beneath  the  table 
three  plants,  representing  them  to  be  Moss  Roses  (which, 
by-the-way,  were  all  alike,  and  were  all  our  common 
Prairie  Rose),  and  said,  "This  one,  he  bloom  only  once, 
I  tell  you  the  truth,  so  I  sell  him  for  two  dollar.  This 
one,  he  be  the  Remontant,  he  bloom  twice — just  twice — 
I  sell  him  for  three  dollar  ;  but  this  one,  he  be  the  ever- 
blooming,  perpetual  Blue  Moss  Rose,  he  bloom  all  the 
time,  he  cheap  at  five  dollars."  I  quietly  remarked,  if 
it  bloomed  all  the  time,  why  was  it  not  blooming  now  ? 
He  looked  at  me  pityingly,  and  said,  "  My  dear  sir,  you 
expect  too  much.  These  Moss  Rose  just  come  over  in 
the  ship  from  Paris.  You  take  him  home  and  plant 
him,  and  he  bloom  right  away,  and  he  keep  on  bloom- 
ing." I  did  not  take  him  home,  but  1  took  the  story, 
something  in  the  shape  it  is  now  told,  and  had  it  pub- 
lished in  one  of  the  leading  New  York  papers,  and  in 
less  than  a  week  the  "  Blue  Rose  Men  "  had  pulled  up 
stakes,  but,  no  doubt,  to  pitch  their  camp  somewhere 
else,  and  set  their  traps  for  fresh  victims.  The  "Blue 
Rose  Men  "  are  very  impartial  in  their  wanderings,  and 
rarely  omit  a  city  of  any  size,  beginning  usually  in  New 
Orleans  in  January,  running  northward,  and  ending  up 
with  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston  through  April 
and  May. 

These  humbugs  in  horticulture  have  their  comical  side. 
A  few  years  ago,  in  passing  St.  Paul's  Church  (Broadway), 
New  York,  I  saw  an  old  negro  squatted  on  the  pavement 
with  a  great  bundle  of  plants,  carefully  mossed  up,  lying 
alongside  of  him.  On  inquiring  what  they  were,  he  said 
they  were  Rose  bushes  ;  Rose  bushes  having  all  the  good 


220  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

things  wanted  in  a  Rose,  fragrance,  hardinecs,  and  ever- 
blooming,  and  the  price  but  fifty  cents  apiece.  He  had 
got  them,  he  said,  from  the  boss,  and  was  selling  them  on 
a  commission.  The  poor  darkey  was  only  an  innocent 
agent.  He  no  doubt  believed  he  was  selling  Rose  bushes, 
but  the  boss,  whoever  he  might  be,  undoubtedly  knew 
better,  for  the  plants  were  not  Roses  at  all,  but  the  com- 
mon Cat  Brier  (Sntilax  sar sap ar ilia),  one  of  the  worst 
pests  of  our  hedgerows,  but  the  plant  of  which  is  near 
enough  in  appearance  to  a  Rose  to  deceive  the  ordinary 
city  merchant. 

That  same  season  at  every  prominent  street  corner 
could  be  seen  the  venders  of  the  "  Alligator  Plant," 
which  some  enterprising  genius  cut  by  the  wagon  load 
from  the  Jersey  swamps,  and  dealt  them  out  to  those 
who  retailed  them  on  the  street. 

The  "  Alligator  Plant"  was  sold  in  lengths  of  twelve 
to  twenty  inches,  at  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents  apiece, 
according  to  its  straightness  and  length  ;  and  by  the 
number  engaged  in  the  business,  hundreds  of  dollars' 
worth  must  have  been  sold.  The  "  Alligator  Plant"  is 
the  rough,  triangular  branches  of  the  Sweet  Gum  Tree 
(Liquidambar  styraciflud),  common  in  most  parts  of  thp 
country.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  these  pieces 
of  stick  have  been  planted  by  thousands  during  the  last 
six  years  in  the  gardens  in  and  around  New  York,  with 
about  as  much  chance  of  their  growing  as  the  fence 
pickets  or  paving  stones. 

The  bulb  peddlers,  a  class  of  itinerant  swindlers,  de- 
serve brief  attention.  They  have  always  some  wonderful 
novelty  in  bulbs  ;  and  their  mode  of  operating,  to  the 
uninitiated,  has  a  semblance  of  fairness,  as  they  are  lib- 
eral fellows,  and  frankly  offer  to  take  one-half  cash  on 
delivery,  and  if  the  goods  do  not  come  up  to  the  repre- 
sentation, the  other  half  need  not  be  paid.  For  example, 
when  the  Gold-banded  Japan  Lily  was  first  introduced, 


HUMBUGS  IN   HORTICULTUEE.  221 

bulbs  the  size  of  hickory  nuts  sold  at  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  per  hundred.  About  that  time  one  of  these 
worthies  came  along  with  samples  of  a  Lily  of  fine  size 
and  appearance,  which,  he  said,  he  had  just  received 
from  Japan.  There  was  no  doubt  of  its  genuineness,  for 
he  had  seen  it  in  flower.  He  had  a  large  stock,  and  would 
sell  at  one  hundred  dollars  per  hundred,  but  he  was 
willing  to  take  half  that  amount  down,  and  the  other 
half  when  the  bulbs  flowered  and  had  proved  correct.  They 
did  not  prove  correct,  and  he  never  called.  The  bulb  he 
sold  was  the  common  "White  Lily  (Lilium  candidum), 
which  is  sold  everywhere  at  five  or  six  dollars  per  hun- 
dred. These  same  scamps  flood  the  rural  districts  every 
year  with  blue  Gladiolus,  scarlet  Tuberoses,  and  other 
absurdities  in  bulbs  and  seeds,  usually  on  the  same  terms 
of  one-half  cash  down,  the  other  half  when  the  rara  avis 
has  feathered  out.  The  present  season  (1887),  one  of  these 
worthies  found  out  that  the  flowers  of  Tuberoses  and 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  by  being  placed  in  red  or  blue  ink, 
would  in  an  hour  or  two  absorb  enough  of  the  ink 
to  make  them  a  beautiful  blue  or  red.  Carrying  the 
colored  flowers  with  him,  having  the  shape,  fragrance,  and 
general  appearance  of  the  actual  flowers  of  these  bulbs, 
he  was  successful  in  selling  hundreds  of  dollars'  worth  of 
these  wonderful  novelties,  at  ten  times  their  actual  value. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  they  never  try  it  twice  on  the 
same  victim,  but  avail  themselves  of  our  broad  continent 
to  seek  out  now  fields  for  their  operations. 

One  of  the  most  successful  swindlers  of  this  type  was 
Comanche  George,  whose  fame  became  almost  national. 
George  made  his  advent  in  New  York  in  1876.  He  was, 
he  said,  a  Texas  scout,  and  for  years  his  rifle,  revolver, 
and  bowie  knife  had  been  the  terror  of  the  red  men;  but 
one  day,  in  his  rambles  on  the  lone  Texas  prairies,  his 
eye  was  arrested  by  a  flower,  whose  wonderful  coloring 
eclipsed  the  rainbow,  and  whose  delicate  perfume  was 


222  GABDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

wafted  over  the  Brazos  for  leagues  ;  in  short,  never  before 
had  eye  of  mortal  rested  on  such  a  flower.  The  man  of 
war  was  subdued.  He  betook  himself  to  the  peaceful 
task  of  gathering  seed,  and  turned  his  steps  to  the  haunts 
of  civilized  man  to  distribute  it.  We  first  heard  of  him 
in  Washington,  where  he  wished  to  place  it  in  the  hands 
of  the  government,  and  accordingly  offered  it  to  Mr. 
William  Smith,  Superintendent  of  the  Botanic  Gardens 
there  ;  but  the  government,  being  short  of  funds,  so  Smith 
said,  was  not  just  then  in  a  position  to  buy,  and  with 
his  advice  George  trimmed  his  "sales "for  New  York 
and  a  market.  His  success  in  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia 
was  so  great  (where  he  started  the  sale  of  the  seeds  at  two 
cents  apiece)  that  it  induced  him,  when  he  struck  New 
York,  to  advance  the  price  to  five  cents  a  seed.  He  put 
up  at  one  of  the  best  hotels,  and  claimed  that  for  a  month 
his  sales  of  the  seed  of  the  Cockatelle — the  beautiful 
Texas  flower — reached  fifty  dollars  a  day.  But  his  success 
threw  him  off  his  balance.  He  took  to  fire  water,  and  in 
an  unguarded  moment  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  newspaper 
man,  who  extracted  from  him  all  the  facts  connected 
with  the  enterprise.  George  never  was  a  scout,  had 
never  been  in  Texas,  but  he  had  been  a  good  customer  to 
the  various  seedsmen  of  the  different  cities,  where  his 
purchases  of  Okra  or  Gumbo  seed,  at  about  fifty  cents  a 
pound,  had  made  nearly  a  dearth  of  the  article.  His 
victims  (whose  names  he  gave  by  the  score,  and  which 
were  duly  chronicled  in  the  newspaper  article  referred 
to)  were  from  all  classes  :  the  enterprising  florist,  who 
secretly  went  into  it  in  a  wholesale  way,  with  a  view  to 
outwit  his  less  fortunate  fellows ;  the  grandee  of  Fifth 
Avenue,  who  anticipated  a  blaze  of  beauty  on  his  lawn  ; 
the  hotel  man,  whose  window  boxes  were  to  perfume  the 
air  ;  all  had  fallen  easy  victims  to  the  wiles  of  Comanche 
George.  George  disappeared  from  New  York,  though 
there  is  but  little  doubt  that  his  business  had  been  too 


HUMBUGS   IN   HORTICULTURE.  223 

successful  for  him  to  abandon  it.  A  newspaper  para- 
graph which  reads  as  follows,  looks  as  if  it  might  be  the 
Texas  scout  in  a  somewhat  different  role : 

"The  prepossessing  appearance,  gentlemanly  demeanor, 
and  foreign  accent  of  the  man  who  called  himself  Carlo 
Corella,  botanist  to  the  Court  of  Brazil,  convinced  a 
number  of  wealthy  San  Francisco  ladies  that  he  was 
truthful.  He  said  to  each  that  the  failure  of  a  remittance 
compelled  him  to  sell  some  rare  bulbs  of  Brazilian  Lilies, 
which  he  had  intended  to  present  to  Mrs.  R.  B.  Hayes. 
*  The  flower,'  says  the  Chronicle,  'was  to  be  a  great  scar- 
let bell,  with  ecru  ruchings  on  the  petals,  a  solferino  frill 
around  the  pistil,  and  a  whole  bottle  of  perfumery  in 
each  stamen.'  He  sold  about  fifty  almost  worthless 
bulbs  at  four  dollars  each." 

Nurserymen  are  no  doubt  better  posted  in  the  swindles 
practiced  in  their  particular  department  than  I  am  ;  but 
operators  engage  in  different  lines  in  different  parts  of 
the  country;  for  example,  we  have  never  yet  seen  in  the 
Eastern  States  any  one  trying  to  sell  an  apple  tree  bear- 
ing blue  apples  as  big  as  melons,  as  we  were  told,  at  our 
meeting  at  Cleveland,  had  been  successfully  done  in 
Ohio  and  Illinois.  Still  we  have  men  of  fair  ability  in 
the  nursery  swindling  line,  one  of  whom  last  winter  suc- 
ceeded in  disposing  of  hundreds  of  "  winter-bearing 
grapes,"  by  carrying  with  him  a  few  good  bunches  of 
the  white  Malaga  of  the  shops. 

One  great  detriment,  not  only  to  the  florist,  but  to  the 
purchaser,  is  begotten  of  these  swindles  in  horticulture. 
The  purchaser  of  flowers  m  our  markets  must  have  his 
plants  in  bloom,  because  he  has  been  at  times  so  swindled 
that  he  must  now  see  what  he  buys.  In  New  York,  the 
amateur  rarely  buys  from  the  grower,  but  from  the  agent 
or  middleman  who  sells  in  the  market  stands  or  street 
corners.  These,  whether  men  or  women,  are  generally 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  plants,  and  most  of 


224  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASUKE. 

them  have  no  responsibility,  and  they  rarely  fail  to  make 
their  wares  accord  with  the  wants  of  the  purchaser  : 
nearly  every  plant  is  hardy,  ever-blooming,  and  has  all 
the  qualities  desired  by  the  buyer. 

But  now  and  then  these  swindles  become  a  serions 
matter  to  the  victim.  Some  years  ago  a  typical  English- 
man, who  had  been  a  green  grocer  in  Covent  Garden 
Market,  London,  found  his  way  to  New  York.  He  at 
once  discovered  an  almost  entire  absence  of  Cauliflowers 
in  our  markets,  and  what  few  there  were,  were  sold  at 
prices  four  times  those  of  London.  He  soon  made  up 
his  mind  to  make  his  fortune,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
show  the  Yankees  something  they  did  not  know.  He 
duly  selected  and  prepared  the  ground  for  an  acre,  and 
one  day  in  May  he  sallied  into  the  market  to  procure  his 
Cauliflower  plants.  This  he  found  no  difficulty  in  doing, 
for  at  Dutch  Peggy's  (in  those  days  the  headquarters  for 
all  kind  of  herbs,  plants,  and  seeds)  they  were  to  be  seen 
by  the  wagon  load.  Ten  thousand  were  procured  (the  num- 
ber required  for  his  acre),  and,  duly  planted,  they  began  to 
grow  apace.  He  had  planted  the  first  of  May.  If  it  had 
been  in  England,  his, Cauliflower  heads  would  have  been 
ready  about  the  first  of  July;  but  something  was  evi- 
dently wrong  in  the  Yankee  climate.  His  Cauliflowers 
grew  through  June,  through  July  into  August,  only  to 
develop  into  fine  specimens  of  Drumhead  Cabbage,  then 
of  hardly  the  value  he  had  paid  for  them  as  Cauliflower 
plants.  He  got  out  of  the  business  thoroughly  dis- 
gusted ;  and  in  telling  his  sorrowful  tale  to  me  a  year 
afterward,  he  related  that  when  he  went  to  expostulate 
with  old  Peggy  about  having  blasted  his  prospects,  before 
he  could  get  a  word  said,  she  recognized  him  as  a  cus- 
tomer, and  demanded  to  know  if  he  did  not  again  want 
some  more  early  Cauliflower  plants. 

I  have  said  old  Peggy  was  also  a  vender  of  seeds.  It 
is  now  nearly  forty  years  ago  that  a  young  florist  pre- 


HUMBUGS   lif   HOKTICULTURB.  225 

sented  himself  before  her  and  purchased  an  ounce  of 
Mignonette.  Ever  alive  to  business,  Peggy  asked  him  if 
he  had  tried  the  new  red  Mignonette.  He  protested  there 
was  no  such  thing,  but  Peggy's  candid  manner  persuaded 
him,  and  fifty  cents  were  invested.  The  seed  looked 
familiar,  and  when  it  sprouted  it  looked  more  familiar ; 
when  it  bloomed  it  was  far  too  familiar,  for  it  was  Red 
Clover.  Peggy  has  long  since  been  gathered  to  her 
fathers,  and  I  have  entirely  forgiven  her  for  selling  me 
the  red  Mignonette. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  swindling  that  is  more  extensively 
practiced,  and  which  so  cruelly  injures  the  operators  of 
the  soil,  as  that  of  adulteration  in  fertilizers.  The  great 
mass  of  our  farmers  and  gardeners  are  poor  men,  who 
can  ill  afford  even  to  pay  for  the  pure  fertilizers  necessary 
to  grow  their  crops,  and  to  pay  money  and  high  freights 
on  adulterations  worse  than  useless,  is  hard  indeed.  The 
ignorance  of  those  dealing  in  such  wares  does  much  to 
spread  the  evil.  A  man  came  into  my  office  last  sum- 
mer with  samples  of  a  fertilizer,  nicely  put  up  in  cans, 
which  he  claimed  could  be  sold  in  immense  quantities  by 
the  seedsmen,  as  it  had  not  only  the  wonderful  properties 
of  invigorating  and  stimulating  all  planted  crops,  but 
that  it  at  the  same  time  would  kill  all  noxious  weeds.  I 
need  not  say  that  he  had  waked  up  the  wrong  passenger, 
and  that  he  made  a  rapid  movement  toward  the  door. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  the  impudence  and  absurdity  of 
such  a  claim,  the  scamp  was  enabled  to  prowl  around 
the  vicinity  of  New  York  for  weeks,  and,  undoubtedly, 
sold  to  hundreds.  If  he  had  said  he  had  a  cannon  from 
which,  when  grape  shot  was  fired  into  a  crowd,  it  killed 
only  enemies — never  friends — the  one  claim  would  have 
been  as  reasonable  as  the  other. 

There  is  another  species  of  humbugging,  which,  though 
it  can  hardly  be  called  swindling,  is  somewhat  akin  to 
it.  I  refer  to  the  men  who  claim  to  have  secrets  by  which 


226  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

they  can  accomplish  extraordinary  results  in  the  propa- 
gation and  culture  of  plants.  I  can  well  remember,  in 
my  early  days,  that  the  nursery  propagator  was  looked 
upon  as  a  sort  of  demi-god,  possessing  secrets  known 
only  to  himself  and  a  favored  few,  whose  interest  it  was 
to  continue  to  throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of  every  young  as- 
pirant after  knowledge.  The  door  of  the  propagating 
house  was  locked  and  bolted,  as  if  it  were  a  Bastile,  and 
even  the  proprietor  (if  he  were  unfortunate  enough  not 
to  have  practical  knowledge)  was  allowed  entrance  only 
as  a  special  favor ;  for  his  propagator  was  an  autocrat, 
of  whom  he  stood  in  awe  and  reverence.  But  since  the 
advent  of  horticultural  publications  in  America,  particu- 
larly during  the  past  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  the  "secrets" 
of  these  pretentious  fellows  have  had  such  ventilation, 
that  now  nearly  every  operation  of  the  greenhouse  is  as 
well  understood  by  the  tens  of  thousands  engaged  in  the 
business,  as  the  operations  of  the  farm  are  by  the  farmer. 

The  most  of  these  pretenders  to  this  sscret  knowledge 
of  horticulture  are  foreigners,  though  occasionally  a  nati  ve 
tries  it  on.  Some  twenty  years  ago,  when  the  grape-vine 
mania  was  at  its  hight,  an  old  Connecticut  farmer  pre- 
tended he  had  discovered  a  new  method  of  propagating 
the  grape,  which  he  would  impart  for  a  consideration  to 
the  highest  bidder.  He  issued  a  profusion  of  hand  bills 
to  the  trade,  asking  for  bids,  modestly  requesting  the  re- 
ceiver of  the  hand  bill  to  hang  it  up  in  a  conspicuous 
place. 

I  sent  my  copy  to  my  friend  Meehan,  of  the  Gardener's 
Monthly,  saying  that  the  pages  of  that  magazine  were 
the  most  conspicuous  place  I  knew  of  to  comply  with  the 
wish  of  the  old  gentleman.  Mr.  Meehan  not  only  in- 
serted the  advertisement  gratis,  and  in  the  most  conspicu- 
ous manner,  but  he  did  more,  for  he  appended  below  the 
advertisement  a  few  remarks  I  had  ventured  to  make  on 
the  subject.  This  opened  the  ball,  and  for  six  months 


HUMBUGS   IN   HORTICULTURE.  227 

the  pages  of  the  Gardener's  Monthly  became  the  battle 
ground  for  the  opinions  of  the  "  discoverer"  and  myself. 
But  the  gratuitous  advertisement  did  not  avail  him  much, 
for  he  and  his  secret  soon  passed  into  oblivion,  and  were 
heard  from  no  more.  There  are  no  secrets  in  horticul- 
ture. The  laws  that  govern  the  germination  of  a  seed, 
the  rooting  of  a  cutting,  or  the  taking  of  a  bud  or  graft, 
are  the  same  now  as  they  were  a  thousand  years  ago,  and 
anyone  pretending  to  have  any  secret  knowledge  in  the 
matter  is  either  an  ignoramus  or  an  imposter. 

Since  the  above  was  written  several  other  swindling 
schemes  have  been  perpetrated.  Among  others,  the  bulb 
man  has  turned  up  again.  Having  for  the  time  being 
become  too  well  known  in  the  city,  he  has  betaken  him- 
self to  the  rural  districts,  where  he  plied  his  trade  last 
fall  most  successfully,  finding  his  victims  chiefly  among 
confiding  women.  Taking  pattern  of  the  "  Blue  Eose 
Man,"  he  has  provided  himself  with  gaudy  pictures  of 
impossible  Lilies,  which  ought  to  deceive  none  but  the 
thoughtless  or  ignorant.  As  a  matter  of  precaution,  it 
may  be  well  to  describe  his  methods  of  operating.  His 
first  move  is  to  learn  the  names  of  the  wealthiest  and  best 
known  people  in  the  neighborhood.  He  then  begins  his 
canvass,  calling  at  houses  where  he  has  reason  to  believe 
none  of  the  male  members  of  the  family  is  at  home.  He 
has  just  returned  from  California,  where  he  had  the 
great  good  fortune  to  discover  three  kinds  of  the  most 
gorgeous  of  all  Lilies,  hitherto  entirely  unknown,  and 
now  for  the  first  and  only  time  offered  for  sale.  Their 
size  is  immense,  the  colors  gorgeous,  and  the  fragrance 
exquisite.  No  such  Lilies  have  been  seen  before.  He  has 
sold  Mrs.  Brown,  and  Mrs.  Smith,  and  Mrs.  Jones 
(naming  well-known  neighbors)  bulbs  of  each  of  the 
three  kinds  at  four  and  five  dollars  a  bulb ;  but  as  he  has 
only  a  few  left,  and  is  anxious  to  get  home,  he  will  sell 
the  remainder  at  two  and  three  dollars  each.  His  vie- 


228  GARDENING   FOR  PLEASURE. 

tims  hesitate  in  doubt  a  few  moments,  and  then  drop 
into  the  net.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  blocking  this  feJlow's 
operations  in  one  instance,  appearing  on  the  scene  just  in 
time  to  do  so.  In  one  locality,  within  my  personal  knowl- 
edge, this  man  sold  dozens  of  these  bulbs  to  confiding 
victims.  I  saw  some  of  these  "  gorgeous  "  new  California 
Lilies  when  they  came  into  flower,  and  they  were  all 
neither  more  nor  less  than  the  common  white  garden  Lily 
(Lilium  candidum),  fine  bulbs  of  which  can  always  be 
bought  for  ten  or  twelve  cents  each. 

Another  instance  may  be  mentioned,  in  which  the  rogue 
offered  for  sale,  at  a  dollar  a  paper,  the  seed  of  a  variety 
of  Mignonette  even  more  famous  than  the  red  Mignon- 
ette of  Aunt  Peggy  before  mentioned.  This  bore  mag- 
nificent spikes  of  flowers,  nearly  two  feet  long  and  of 
delicious  fragrance. 

A  lady  friend,  one  of  his  victims,  carefully  sowed  the 
seeds,  and  waited  anxiously  for  the  appearance  of  the 
plants.  The  seedlings  proved  to  be  so  vigorous  that  she 
ventured  to  separate  and  transplant  them  in  the  open 
border.  They  grew  and  grew  till  they  finally  rivaled  in 
growth  the  famous  mustard  seed  mentioned  in  the  good 
Book.  The  reader  will  probably  smile  when  I  tell  him 
that  this  famous  Mignonette  proved  to  be  Pearl  Millet, 
a  kind  of  grass  growing  ten  feet  high.  The  present 
season  one  of  these  itinerants  is  doing  a  thriving  business 
by  selling  common  Parsnip  seed,  which  he  has  caused  to 
absorb  various  perfumes.  This,  supplemented  with  flam- 
ing pictures  of  Eoses  of  every  hue,  makes  it  an  easy  busi- 
ness for  him  to  sell  this  "  Eose  Seed  "  of  any  perfume 
desired  ! 

The  following  from  the  New  York  Tribune  of  Febru- 
ary 19th,  1882,  shows  that  occasionally  these  enterprising 
gentlemen  receive  their  deserts  : 

"  The  case  of  John  Harrison,  the  industrious  seed 
peddler,  who  was  locked  up  in  Newark  the  other  day,  is 


HUMBUGS   IN   HORTICULTURE.  229 

one  which  calls  for  commiseration.  It  was  a  propitious 
season  for  business  in  this  line,  for  the  near  approach  of 
spring  had  begun  to  warm  up  the  desire  to  worry  the 
soil  and  plant  something,  a  desire  that  slumbers  in  the 
bosom  of  every  man  or  woman  who  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
garden,  a  back-yard,  or  even  of  a  flower  pot.  Our  vender 
was  therefore  driving  a  brisk  trade,  when  he  was  arrested 
for  obtaining  money  under  false  pretenses.  The  pre- 
tense and  falsehood  charged  were  Mr.  Harrison's  state- 
menr.  that  his  seeds,  when  dropped  into  water  or  earth, 
would  speedily  germinate  and  grow  into  a  bush,  which 
would  suddenly  burst  into  beautiful  and  fragrant 
bloom,  and  tnen  bear  a  rich  fruitage  of  (  wash-rags ;'  a 
crop  which  at  once  commended  itself  to  the  cleanly  and 
thrifty  housewives  of  New  Jersey.  Now  there  is  a  well- 
known  vine  of  the  Cucumber  family  which  flourishes  in 
the  "West  Indies,  and  bears  a  gourd-like  fruit,  the  spongy 
lining  of  whose  tough  shell  is  used  by  the  simple  islanders 
to  brush  their  huts  with  when  they  have  any,  and  for 
toilet  and  culinary  cleansing  as  well.  Mr.  Harrison's 
descriptions  of  this  vegetable  may  have  been  a  trifle  too 
eloquent,  but  surely  a  merciful  magistrate  would  con- 
sider this  nothing  more  than  justifiable  professional  ex- 
aggeration. Any  one  who  has  been  attacked  by  a  roving 
tree  agent,  armed  with  a  book  full  of  colored  lithographic 
plates  of  trees  clad  with  rainbo\v-hued  foliage,  and 
decorated  still  further  with  fruit  of  marvelous  shape  and 
bulk,  will  understand  chat  Mr.  Harrison  is  not  a  unique 
sinner,  but  simply  a  man  who  understands  his  business." 
This  list  of  humbugs  on  horticultural  subjects  might 
be  greatly  extended,  but  perhaps  enough  has  been  said  to 
put  the  intelligent  and  thoughtful  reader  on  his  guard 
in  the  future. 


THE    FRUIT    GARDEN. 


281 


PRUNING.  233 

CHAPTER    XL. 
PRUNING. 

THOUGH  the  chapter  on  pruning  is  placed  at  the  com- 
mencement of  that  division  of  the  work  which  treats 
upon  fruits,  the  fact  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  that  prun- 
ing is  often  quite  as  necessary  upon  trees  and  shrubs  cul- 
tivated for  their  flowers  or  foliage  as  upon  those  grown 
for  their  fruit.  In  pruning  we  cut  away  some  portion 
of  a  tree,  shrub,  or  other  plant,  for  the  benefit  of  that 
which  remains ;  and  whether  performed  upon  a  branch 
fiix  inches  through,  or  upon  a  shoot  so  tender  as  to  be  cut 
by  the  thumb  nail,  the  object  is  essentially  the  same. 
The  operation,  though  very  simple,  is  one  which  the 
amateur  often  fears  to  undertake ;  and  having  no  confi- 
dence in  his  own  ability,  he  often  employs  some  jobbing 
gardener,  who  has  no  fears  on  this  or  any  other  garden- 
ing matter.  Pruning  is  done  for  various  ends,  and  un- 
less one  has  a  definite  reason  for  doing  it,  he  had  better 
leave  it  undone.  Many  have  an  idea  that  pruning  must, 
for  some  reason,  be  done  every  year,  just  as  it  used  to  be 
thought  necessary  for  people  to  be  bled  every  spring, 
whether  well  or  ill.  We  prune  to  control  the  shape  of  a 
tree  or  shrub,  and  by  directing  the  growth  from  one  part 
to  another,  obtain  a  symmetrical  form,  especially  in  fruiu 
trees,  where  it  is  desirable  that  the  weight  of  fruit  be 
equally  distributed.  In  some  trees,  where  the  fruit  is 
borne  only  on  the  wood  of  the  previous  season,  the  bear- 
ing portions  are  each  year  removed  further  and  further 
from  the  body  of  the  tree.  In  such  cases  a  shortening 
of  the  growth  each  year  will  cause  the  formation  of  a 
compact  head  instead  of  the  loose  straggling  limbs  that  re- 
sult when  this  is  omitted.  We  prune  to  renew  the  vigor 
of  a  plant.  The  inexperienced  cannot  understand  how 


234  GARDENING    VOIl    PLEASURE. 

cutting  away  a  third,  a  half,  or  even  more  of  a  plant  can 
improve  it  in  vigor  and  fruitf illness,  or  abundance  and 
size  of  flowers.  Let  us  suppose  that  a  stem  which  grew 
last  year  has  twenty  buds  upon  it.  If  this  is  allowed  to 
take  its  own  course  in  the  spring,  a  few  of  the  upper 
buds  will  push  with  great  vigor,  and  form  strong  shoots  ; 
while  those  below  will  make  gradually  weaker  shoots, 
and  for  probably  the  lower  third  of  the  stem  the  buds 
will  not  start  at  all.  In  fruit  trees,  as  a  rule,  the  most 
vigorous  growth  is  at  the  top.  The  buds  there  weie  the 
last  formed  in  the  previous  summer,  are  the  most  excit- 
able, and  the  soonest  to  grow  the  next  spring,  and 
getting  the  start  of  those  below  them,  they  draw  the 
nourishment  to  themselves  and  starve  the  others.  If, 
instead  of  allowing  this  stem  to  grow  at  will  in  this  man- 
ner, it  had  been,  before  any  of  the  buds  started,  cut  back 
so  as  to  leave  only  a  few  of  the  lower  ones,  those  having 
an  abundance  of  nutriment  would  push  forth  with  great 
vigor  and  be  nearly  equal  in  size,  while  the  flowers  or 
fruit  borne  upon  them  would  be  greatly  superior  to  those 
upon  the  unpruned  stem.  Any  one  can  readily  be  con- 
vinced of  the  utility  of  pruning  by  taking  two  rose  bushes 
of  equal  size,  leaving  one  without  any  pruning  to  take 
care  of  itself,  and  each  spring  cutting  the  other  back 
severely,  pruning  away  one-third  or  one-half  of  the  wood 
that  was  formed  the  previous  season.  The  result  at  the 
end  of  two  years  will  be  very  striking. 

No  general  rule  can  be  given  for  pruning.  The  ama- 
teur should  use  his  eyes,  and  notice  the  habit  of  growth 
of  his  trees  and  shrubs.  He  will  find  that  many,  like  the 
Rose,  produce  their  flowers  upon  the  new  wood  of  the 
present  season,  and  that  such  plants  are  greatly  bene- 
fited by  cutting  back  more  or  less  each  spring.  But 
there  are  other  plants  for  which  this  treatment  will  not 
answer.  If  we  examine  a  Horse-chestnut  tree,  or  a  Lilac 
bush,  and  many  others,  we  shall  find  that  the  flowers 


PKUXIXG.  235 

come  from  the  large  buds  that  were  formed  on  the  end 
of  last  season's  growth,  and  to  cut  back  such  plants 
would  be  to  remove  all  the  flower  buds.  With  shrubs  of 
this  kind,  all  that  need  be  done  is  to  thin  out  the  branches 
where  they  are  too  crowded.  These  examples  will  warn 
the  novice  against  indiscriminate  pruning ;  and  unless, 
as  he  stands  before  his  shrub  or  tree,  knife  in  hand,  he 
knows  why  he  is  to  prune  and  how,  let  him  put  his  knife 
in  his  pocket,  and  give  the  plant  the  benefit  of  the 
doubt.  While,  under  the  different  fruits,  we  can  give  di- 
rections for  the  particular  pruning  required  by  each,  the 
proper  method  of  treating  a  miscellaneous  collection  of 
ornamental  shrubs  and  trees  can  only  be  learned  by 
observation. 

The  term  pruning  is  generally  applied  to  the  cutting 
away,  in  whole  or  in  part,  of  the  ripened  wood;  but 
much  pruning  may  be  done  by  the  use  of  the  thumb  and 
finger.  This  is  termed  pinching,  and  is  practised  upon 
young  slioots  at  the  growing  season,  while  they  are  yet 
soft.  This  most  useful  form  of  pruning  allows  us  to 
control  the  form  of  a  plant  with  the  greatest  ease,  and 
is  applied  not  only  to  soft-wooded  plants,  but  to  trees 
and  shrubs,  and  may  be  so  performed  on  these  as  to 
render  nearly,  if  not  quite,  all  pruning  of  ripened  wood 
unnecessary.  When  soft-wooded  plants,  such  as  Chrysan- 
themums, Geraniums,  or  Coleus,  are  planted  out  or  grown 
in  pots,  and  left  to  themselves,  most  kinds  will  grow  tall 
and  straggling  ;  but  if  judiciously  "pinched  buck,"  as  it 
is  called  (that  is,  the  top  of  the  strongest  shoots  pinched 
out),  the  plants  can  be  shaped  into  a  bushy,  rounded 
form  at  will.  If  a  vigorous  shoot  has  its  end  or  "grow- 
ing point"  pinched  out  it  will  cease  to  elongate,  but  will 
throw  out  branches  below,  the  growth  of  which  may  be 
controlled  in  the  same  manner.  The  Blackberry  illus- 
trates the  utility  of  this  kind  of  pruning.  The  rampant 
growing  shoot  which  springs  up  from  the  root  will,  if 


236 


GARDENING    FOK    PLEASURE. 


left  to  itself,  make  a  long  cane  six  or  eight  feet  high,  and 
with  a  very  few  branches  near  the  top.  If,  when  this 
shoot  has  reached  four,  or  at  most  five  feet,  its  end  be 
pinched  off,  it  will  then  throw  our  numerous  branches ; 
and  if  the  upper  branches,  when  they  reach  the  length  of 
eighteen  inches,  be  "  stopped"  (as  it  is  called),  in  a  sim- 
ilar manner,  by  pinching,  the  growth  will  be  directed  to 
the  lower  ones,  and  by  the  end  of  the  season,  instead  of  a 
long,  unmanageable  wand,  there  will  be  a  well-branched 
bush,  which  will  bear  its  fruit  all  within  reach.  The 
grower  of  plants  in  pots  is  usually  afraid  to  remove  even 
a  single  inch  of  the  stem,  and  the  result  is  usually  a 
lot  of  "leggy"  specimens  not 
worth  the  care  that  is  oth- 
erwise bestowed  upon  them. 
Plants  may  be  prevented  from 
ever  reaching  this  condition, 
if  their  growth  be  properly 
controlled  by  pinching;  but 
if  they  have  once  reached  it, 
they  should  be  cut  back  se- 
verely, and  a  compact,  bushy 
form  obtained  from  the  new 
shoots  which  will  soon  start. 
I  may  state  here,  however, 
that  if  it  becomes  necessary  to 
cut  back  a  plant  in  full  leaf,  care  must  be  taken  to  with- 
hold water  until  it  again  throws  out  shoots  below,  for  the 
reason  that,  bein^  robbed  of  the  foliage  and  shoots  that 
elaborated  the  top,  an  excess  of  moisture  given  to  the 
roots,  which  have  now  no  work  to  do,  will  gorge  and  de- 
stroy them. 

The  mechanical  part  of  pruning  is  very  simple.  A 
sharp  knife  is  the  best  implement,  as  it  makes  a  clean 
cut  without  bruising  the  bark,  and  the  wound  quickly 
heals.  Shears  are  much  easier  to  handle,  and  the  work 


Fig.  63.        Fig.  67.        Fig.  68. 

WHEKB   TO  CUT   IN  PRUNING. 


PRUNING. 


237 


can  be  done  so  much  more  quickly,  that  they  are  generally 

preferred,  and  for  rampant  growing  bushes  will  answer  ; 

but  upon  fruit  trees,  and  choice  plants  generally,  the  knife 

is  much  better.     The  cut  should  be  made  just  at  a  joint, 

but  not  so  far  above  it  as  to  leave  a  stub,  as  in  figure  67, 

which  will  die  back  to  the  bud,  there  being  nothing  to 

contribute  to  its  growth  ;  nor  should  it  be  made  so  close 

to  the  bud  as  to  endanger  it,  as  in  figure  66.     The  cut 

should  start  just  opposite  the  lower  part  of  the  bud  and 

end  just  above  its  top,  as  in  figure  68.     For  the  removal 

of  branches  too  large  to  cut  witti  the  knife,  as  must  some- 

times be  done  on  neglected  trees,  a  saw  is  required.     Saws 

are  made  especially  for  the 

purpose,   but   any   narrow 

one  with  the  teeth  set  wide 

will   answer.      The  rough 

cut  left  by  the  saw  should 

be  pared  smooth,  and  if  an 

inch  or  more  in  diameter, 

the  wound  should  be  cov- 

ered.  Ordinary  paint,  melt- 

ed grafting  wax,  or  shellac 

varnish  will  answer  to  pro- 

tect the  bare  wood  from  air 

and  moisture,  and  prevent 

decay.      In  pruning  it  is 

well  to  remember  that  the 

future  shape   of   the   tree     Fi^69' 

PR 

will  be  materially  affected 
by  the  position  upon  the  branch  of  the  bud  to  which  the 
cut  is  made.  The  upper  bud  left  on  the  branch  will  con- 
tinue the  growth,  and  the  new  shoot  will  be  in  the  direc- 
tion of  that  bud.  If  a  youiig  tree  is,  as  in  figure  69,  to  have 
all  its  brandies  shortened,  and  each  is  cut  to  a  bud,  A, 
pointing  towards  the  center  of  the  tree,  the  tendency  of 
the  new  growth  will  all  be  inward,  as  in  figure  70;  while 


PRUNING   FOE   SHAPE. 


238  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

if  all  be  cut  to  an  outside  bud,  B,  the  result  will  be  to 
spread  the  growth,  as  in  figure  71. 

As  to  the  time  of  pruning,  about  which  there  has 
been  much  discussion,  it  may  be  done  on  small  stems  at 
any  time  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  before  the  growth  starts 
in  the  spring ;  but  for  the  removal  of  large  branches, 
late  in  winter  is  regarded  as  the  best  time.  It  is  a  popu- 
lar idea  that  trees  should  not  be  pruned  in  excessively 
cold  weather.  A  very  sensible  belief,  as  affecting  the 
comfort  of  the  primer ;  but  rest  assured,  it  in  no  way 
adds  to  the  discomfort  of  the  tree,  either  present  or 
prospective.  Pinching  is,  of  course,  done  whenever  it 
is  needed  during  the  summer  months. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 
HARDY    GRAPES. 

GRAPES  can  be  grown  in  almost  any  soil,  provided  it  is 
not  a  wet  one.  Although  the  Grape  will  take  abundance 
of  water  when  in  a  growing  state,  it  must  pass  off  quickly, 
or  the  growth  will  be  impeded.  If  the  ground  is  not 
naturally  suitable  (i.  e.,  at  least  a  foot  in  depth  of  good 
soil),  a  border  prepared  in  the  manner  recommended  in 
the  chapter  on  '•'  Cold  Grapery "  will  well  repay  the 
trouble.  It  is  imperative  that  the  position  where  the 
vine  is  planted  be  such  as  will  enable  it  to  get  sunlight 
for  the  greater  portion  of  the  day.  Twenty  years  ago  I 
planted  an  arbor  (with  an  arched  top)  one  hundred  feet 
long  by  sixteen  feet  wide  and  ten  feet  high,  covering 
a  walk  running  east  and  west.  '  This  gave  a  south  and  a 
north  exposure.  The  crop  has  always  been  excellent  and 
abundant  (and  is  to-day)  on  the  south  side  and  top  of 
the  arbor,  but  on  the  north  side  (unless  for  the  first  and 


H^RDY   GRAPES.  2u9 

second  years  of  fruiting,  when-  there  was  not  sufficient 
loliage  to  impede  the  light)  it  has  been  nearly  a  failure. 

There  is  much  misconception  as  to  what  should  be  the 
age  of  a  grape-vine  when  planted.  Nine-tenths  of  our 
amateur  customers  ask  for  vines  three  or  four  years  old. 
If  a  vine  of  that  age  could  be  properly  lifted  with  every 
root  unbroken,  then  there  might  be  some  advantage  in 
its  greater  strength  ;  but  as  vines  are  usually  grown  in 
the  nurseries  closely  together,  with  the  roots  all  inter- 
laced, large  plants  can  rarely  be  got  with  roots  enough 
to  support  the  vine  and  maintain  its  vigor  after  trans- 
planting. As  a  rule,  it  is  better  to  plant  one  or  two- 
year-old  vines,  which  can  usually  be  bought  at  half  the 
price  of  those  of  three  or  four  years  old,  and  which,  in 
all  probability,  will  give  a  crop  quite  as  soon  as  the  large 
ones,  if  not  sooner. 

The  manner  of  planting  the  vine  is  similar  to  that 
of  any  other  tree  or  shrub.  The  ground  must  be  thor- 
oughly broken  up,  not  in  a  mere  hole  only  sufficient  to 
hold  the  roots,  but,  if  a  regular  border  has  not  been 
made,  the  place  where  each  vine  is  to  be  planted  should 
not  be  less  than  three  feet  in  diameter  (and  if  double 
that,  all  the  better),  and  of  a  depth  of  not  less  than  a 
foot.  On  receiving  the  vine  from  the  nursery,  it  may  con- 
sist of  one  or  more  shoots,  but  on  planting  it  should  be 
cut  back  to  only  two  or  three  eyes  or  buds.  On  starting 
to  grow,  all  of  these  buds  or  eyes  should  be  rubbed  off 
except  one,  selecting  the  strongest.  Train  this  shoot 
perpendicularly  to  a  stake  the  first  year  of  its  growth. 
The  next  fall,  when  the  leaves  drop,  cut  it  back  to  nine 
or  ten  inches  from  the  ground.  When  the  vine  starts 
the  next  spring,  rub  off  all  eyes  or  buds  except  two, 
which  during  the  season  will  form  two  canes,  as  in  figure 
72.  These,  if  they  are  canes  half  an  inch  in  diameter, 
are  in  the  fall  to  be  pruned  to  three  or  four  feet  long, 
and  the  following  spring  trained  horizontally,  one  to 


240 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


the  right,  the  other  to  the  left.  If,  at  the  end  of  the 
second  year,  they  are  still  small,  it  is  better  to  delay 
laying  down  the  arms  until  another  year,  and  grow  two 
upright  shoots  again,  to  get  them  sufficiently  strong. 
These  will  form  the  base  from  which  to  start  the  upright 
shoots,  as  shown  in  figure  73.  These  upright  growths 
will  be  the  permanent  fruiting  canes,  and  should  be  from 
fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  pruned  on  what  is 
known  as  the  spur  system,  as  shown  by  figure  74.  There 
is  nothing  arbitrary  as  to  the  hight  of  these  canes.  It  is 


I 


72. — VINE  WITH  TWO  SHOOTS. 


•f.  73. — VINE  WITH  ARMS. 


a  matter  of  convenience  or  taste  whether  they  be  trained 
to  three  feet  or  fifteen  feet.  Vines  thus  treated  may  be 
allowed  to  produce  a  few  bunches  the  third  year,  and 
by  the  sixth  year  maybe  fruited  to  the  hight  of  ten 
or  twelve  feet  of  cane,  if  desired.  Not  more  than  two 
bunches  of  fruit  should  be  allowed  to  each  shoot.  We 
give  this  manner  of  training  as  one  of  the  simplest,  al- 
though the  system  of  training  has  but  little  to  do  with 
the  crop.  My  own  Grape  arbor  planted  twenty  years 


HAEDY   GRAPES. 


241 


ago.  trained  and  pruned  in  this  way,  is  still  in  excellent 
vigor,  and  looks  as  if  it  might  remain  so  for  twenty  years 
longer.  A  top-dressing  of  rotted  manure  is  placed  on 
the  border  (nine  feet  wide  on  each  side)  every  fall,  and 
forked  in  in  the  spring.  The  same  system  of  pruning  and 
training  is  equally  applicable  to  vines  planted  against 
fences  or  walls  having  an  eastern  or  southern  aspect. 

The  distance  apart  at  which  grape-vines  may  be  planted, 
except  the  Delaware  and  a  few  of  the  weaker  growing 
sorts,  is  about  eight  feet.  The  Delaware  may  be  set 
one-third  closer  if  trained  in  the  manner  described  ;  but 


Fig.  74. — VINE   SPUR-PKUNED. 

if  planted  in  the  open  field,  and  trained  to  stakes  and 
wires,  as  shown  in  figure  75,  they  may  be  planted,  to  begin 
with,  at  least  three  feet  in  the  rows  and  six  feet  between. 
Although  grape-vines  are  hardy  in  nearly  all  sections, 
yet  in  any  locality  where  the  thermometer  falls  to  zero 
it  is  beneficial  to  lay  them  down  close  to  the  ground, 
and  cover  them  up  with  rough  litter,  before  the  ap- 
proach of  severe  weather  in  winter,  allowing  it  to  remain 
on  in  spring  until  the  buds  begin  to  swell,  when  the 
vines  are  uncovered  and  tied  up  to  the  trellis  or  stake, 
If  covered  in  this  way  they  should  be  pruned  before 
being  laid  down.  Pruning  may  be  done  at  any  time 
from  November  to  March.  It  is  a  common  belief  that 
grape-vines  should  be  pruned  only  at  certain  seasons. 
The  weather  must  not  be  too  cold,  otherwise  it  is  sup- 


242 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


posed  they  may  be  injured  if  then  pruned.  Again,  they 
must  not  be  pruned  late  in  the  spring,  else  the  sap 
oozing  from  the  cuts  may  bleed  them  to  death.  Let  me 
say  that  both  these  notions  are  utter  nonsense.  The 


Fig.  75. — VIEW  OF   VINEYARD. 

pruning  of  any  tree  or  vine  in  the  coldest  weather  cannot 
possibly  injure  it,  and  the  "  bleeding  "  or  running  of  the 
sap  after  any  ordinary  pruning  can  no  more  hurt  the 


HAKDY    GRAPES. 


243 


vine  than  the  blood  flowing  from  a  pin  scratch  would 
weaken  a  healthy  man.  This  method  of  covering  up  the 
grape-vine  is  not  commonly  practised,  but  we  are  satis- 
fied that  in  exposed  positions  it  is  well  worth  the 
trouble.  I  have  practised  it  with  vines  now  over 
twenty  years  old,  embracing  some  twenty  varieties.  My 
soil  is  a  stiff  clay,  very  unsuitable  for  the  Grape  ;  yet 
these  vines  have  kept  clear  of  mildew  when  my  neigh- 
bor's vines,  a  few  hundred  yards  off,  have  been  seriously 
injured  by  it.  I  have  long  believed  that  intense  cold, 
long  continued,  is  hurtful  to  even  such  plants  as  we  call 
hardy,  and  the  wonderful  vigor  of  these  old  vines,  so 
treated,  seems  a  good  evidence  of  it.  The  litter  used  in 
covering  (which  has  become  well-rotted  by  spring)  is 
spread  over  the  border,  acting  both  as  a  summer  mulch 
and  fertilizer. 

Mildew  is  the  worst  enemy  to  the  vine.  The  same 
remedy  we  recommend  in  this  book  for  mildew 
on  Roses  will  be  found  equally  efficacious  for 
the  Grape.  On  a  large  scale,  dry  sulphur  is 
used,  blown  upon  the  vines  by  a  bellows  made 
for  the  purpose. 

Propagation  of  the  Grape  is  done  by  nur- 
serymen in  greenhouses  similar  to  that  used 
for  propagating  florists'  plants ;  but  most  of 
the  varieties  can  be  grown  with  fair  success  by 
cuttings  in  the  open  air.  The  cuttings  (made 
from  the  young,  well-ripened  shoots  of  the  pre- 
vious year's  growth)  may  be  made  with  two 
(figure  76)  or  three  buds  or  eyes,  planted  in 
rows;  say  one  foot  apart  and  three  inches  be- 
tween the  cuttings,  and  set  so  that  the  top  eye 
or  bud  only  is  above  ground.  The  situation 
where  the  cuttings  are  placed  should  be  well  CUTTING. 
exposed  to  the  sun,  the  soil  rich  and  deep,  and  of  sandy 
or  light  character.  Care  must  be  taken  that  the  cutting 


244  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

is  well  firmed  in  the  soil ;  and  if  sawdust  or  some  other 
non-conducting  material  is  sifted  over  them  (covering  all 
up  but  the  buds),  success  will  be  greater,  as  this  will  pre- 
vent the  sun  from  baking  and  drying  up  the  soil.  The 
cuttings  may  be  made  from  the  prunings  at  any  time 
during  winter,  and  kept  in  a  damp  cellar  or  buried  out- 
side in  sand  until  planted  in  the  cutting-bed  in  the  spring. 

VARIETIES   OF   THE    GRAPE. 

It  is  the  most  unsatisfactory  part  of  works  on  gar- 
dening to  name  varieties.  What  are  cultivated  as  the 
best  to-day  may  ten  years  hence  be  entirely  discarded. 
Moreover,  what  does  well  in  one  section  may  be  less  val- 
uable in  another ;  but  lists  must  be  given,  and  all  we 
can  do  in  the  ma,tter  is  to  name  such  as  we  believe  to  be 
the  best  for  general  use  at  the  date  at  which  we  write. 
The  varieties  are  named  in  the  order  that  we  deem  most 
desirable  for  private  use. 

Concord  is  perhaps  more  universally  cultivated  than 
any  other.  It  grows  most  luxuriantly,  bearing  bunches 
of  large  size  abundantly.  Color  black,  with  a  rich  blue 
bloom.  The  flavor  is  of  average  quality.  Eipens  during 
the  month  of  September. 

Moore's  Early. — Eesembles  the  Concord  in  general 
appearance,  but  ripens  two  or  three  weeks  earlier.  Per- 
haps the  best  early  black  grape  for  family  use. 

Warden. — Color  black.  Bunches  and  berries  of  medi- 
um size.  Very  early,  ripening  the  last  of  August.  Of 
excellent  quality.  A  most  desirable  variety. 

Delaware. — This  is  perhaps  the  richest  in  flavor  of  all 
hardy  grapes,  and  quite  equal  to  most  of  the  foreign 
kinds.  The  bunches  are  small,  however,  though  borne 
in  great  abundance,  so  that  the  weight  of  fruit  on  a 
given  space  is  equal  to  most  of  the  larger  kinds.  Color 
red.  Medium  early. 


HARDY    GRAPES. 


I 


246  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Brighton. — Color  a  rich  copper  red.  Bunches  large, 
and  of  excellent  flavor.  Eipens  in  September.  One  of 
the  finest  of  red-colored  grapes  yet  known. 

Niagara. — So  far  believed  to  be  the  best  white  grape 
for  the  table.  It  is  medium  early,  ripening  in  September. 
In  flavor  it  is  considered  equal  to  the  best  of  the  foreign 
grapes  of  the  Chasselas  class.  A  most  abundant  bearer. 
See  engraving  (figure  77),  taken  from  a  photograph  two 
years  after  planting. 

Pocklington. — Bunches  and  berries  of  large  size.  Color 
greenish  amber,  occasionally  tinged  with  pink.  It  is  of 
medium  earliness,  and  good  quality,  but  having  a  foxy 
odor  which  is  objectionable  to  some. 

Wilder. — One  of  the  Eogers's  Hybrids.  Bunch  medi- 
um, berries  large,  rich  black.  Flavor  excellent.  It  ripens 
in  September,  and  is  unsurpassed  in  all  good  qualities. 

Agawam. — Color  reddish  bronze.  Size  of  bunches  and 
berries  medium.  Eipens  in  September.  This  is  another 
of  the  Eogers's  Hybrids,  having  a  distinct  and  delicious 
flavor,  similar  to  some  of  the  hothouse  grapes. 

Salem. — Color  reddish  bronze.  Bunches  and  berries 
large.  Eipens  in  September,  and  again,  like  all  the 
Eogers's  Hybrids,  of  excellent  flavor. 

Martha. — A  strong-growing  white  grape.  Bunches 
and  berries  of  medium  size,  borne  in  great  profusion.  It 
is  medium  early  and  very  handsome  in  appearance. 

Merrimack. — Color  deep  black.  Bunches  and  berries 
large.  Late,  ripening  in  October.  One  of  the  Eogers's 
Hybrids.  Flavor  excellent. 

The  varieties  named  in  this  list  have  been  selected 
with  a  view  to  have  fruit  in  succession  from  August  to 
October,  and,  besides,  to  have  a  selection  of  such  -colors 
as  will  be  most  desirable  when  dished  on  the  table, 
which,  in  the  great  variety  of  shades  which  we  now 
have  in  this  delicious  fruit,  makes  a  most  beautiful  or- 
nament. 


THE   COLD   GRAPERY.  247 

CHAPTER    XLII. 
THE    COLD  GRAPERY. 

I  KNOW  of  no  addition  to  a  country  home  from  which 
such  a  large  amount  of  satisfaction  can  be  obtained  at  so 
small  an  outlay  as  from  a  grapery  for  growing  the  differ- 
ent varieties  of  foreign  grapes.  It  has  been  proved  that 
none  of  these  fine  varieties  can  be  cultivated  with  any 
satisfaction  in  any  part  of  the  Northern  or  even  Middle 
States,  except  under  glass.  In  California  and  some  other 
states  and  territories  west  of  the  Mississippi,  the  varieties 
of  the  European  Grape  have  been  extensively  grown  in 
the  open  air.  There  the  conditions  of  climate  are  such 
as  to  make  their  culture  a  success  equal  to  that  attained 
any  where  in  Europe.  Besides  the  luxury  of  the  Grape 
as  a  table  fruit,  ^o  finer  sight  can  be  seen,  and  there 
is  nothing  of  which  an  amateur  gardener  may  be  more 
proud  than  a  grapery  in  which  the  vines  are  loaded  with 
ripe  fruit.  And  as  this  can  be  obtained  at  a  trifling 


Fig.  78. — GREENHOUSE  OK  GRAPEBT. 

-original  outlay,  and  with  but  little  attention  in  the  culti- 
vation afterward,  I  will  briefly  describe  how  to  do  it. 

Our  climate  is  particularly  well  adapted  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  vines  under  glass  without  fire  heat,  and  the  won- 
der is  that  cold  graperies  are  not  in  more  general  use, 
even  by  people  of  moderate  means,  than  they  at  present 
are.  We  built  one  for  our  own  use  on  the  plan  shown  in 
figure  78,  which  is  adapted,  if  desired,  for  a  greenhouse 


248  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

as  well  as  for  a  grapery.  The  dimensions  are  fifty  feet  long 
by  twenty-five  feet  wide.  It  is  finished  in  very  good  style, 
and  cost  but  little  more  than  $1,000  without  artificial  heat. 
If  heated  by  hot-water  pipes,  as  shown  in  the  interior 
view,  it  would  cost  about  $500  more,  or  §1,500  complete, 
It  was  planted  in  June,  and  the  third  year  from  planting 
we  cut  upwards  of  300  pounds  of  fruit  from  it.  The  next 
season  it  yielded  nearly  double  that  quantity.  The  build- 
ing was  begun  by  setting  locust  posts  four  feet  apart. 
On  these  was  framed  the  sill,  on  the  front  of  which  were 
placed  upright  sashes  two  and  a  half  feet  in  hight,  and 
on  these  the  gutter.  From  the  gutter  was  sprung  the 
bars,  ten  inches  apart  each  way,  running  on  the  west  side 
clear  to  the  ridge  pole  ;  on  the  east  framed  to  within  two 
feet  of  it,  so  as  to  give  room  for  lifting  sashes.  These 
were  two  feet  wide  by  six  feet  long.  To  these  sashes, 
eight  in  number,  were  attached  the  patent  ventilating 
apparatus,  which,  by  turning  a  crank,  opens  these  sashes 
from  one  to  twenty-four  inches,  as  desired.  The  front 
sashes  may  be  made  so  that  every  alternate  one  can  open 
outward.  With  the  instructions  given  in  the  chapters 
on  Greenhouse  Structures,  any  intelligent  mechanic  should 
be  able  to  build  from  this  plan,  though,  whenever  green- 
houses or  graperies  are  to  be  erected  on  a  large  scale,  it 
will  always  be  found  to  be  the  cheapest  and  most  satisfac- 
tory plan  to  have  it  done  by  a  regular  greenhouse  archi- 
tect. If  there  is  no  city  or  hydrant  water,  provision  should 
be  made  by  building  a  cistern  inside  the  grapery,  say  four 
feet  deep  by  eight  feet  in  diameter,  or  of  that  capacity 
in  an  oblong  shape  would  be  better.  This  cistern  can  be 
supplied  by  water  from  the  roof,  having  a  waste  pipe  for 
overflow.  These  general  directions  for  such  a  structure 
as  is  shown  in  the  cut,  figure  78,  are  equally  applicable 
for  almost  any  size  or  kind  of  grapery.  Many  are  built 
in  the  form  of  a  "lean  to  ;"  that  is,  placed  against  any 
building  or  fence,  using  such  for  the  back  wall  of  the 


THE    COLD    GRAPERY.  249 

grapery.  This  would  necessitate  only  the  low  front  wall, 
which  need  not  be  more  than  one  foot  from  the  ground, 
if  the  width  is  but  ten  or  twelve  feet ;  but  a  path  would 
require  to  be  sunk  inside  to  give  room  to  stand  upright. 
The  sketch,  figure  79,  shows  an  outline  of  a  "lean-to" 
grapery  twenty  feet  wide,  nine  feet  high  at  back,  and 
two  feet  in  front.  Such  a  structure  (exclusive  of  the 
" border")  may  be  put  up  roughly  at  a  cost  not  exceed- 
ing four  dollars  per  running  foot,  without  heating  ap- 


Fig.    79. — LEAN-TO    GRAPERY. 


paratus.  Its  aspect  may  be  any  point  from  east  to 
southwest,  though  if  due  south  all  the  better. 

I  recollect  that  some  twenty  years  ago  a  German  jeweler 
in  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  grew  a  splendid  crop  of  Black 
Hamburghs  on  vines  which  had  been  planted  against  the 
rear  fence  of  his  city  lot,  by  placing  against  the  fence 
some  old  sashes  eight  feet  long.  It  was  rather  a  bung- 
ling sort  of  an  arrangement  and  awkward  to  get  at,  but 
it  served  the  purpose  of  ripening  the  Hamburgh  grapes, 
which  could  not  have  been  done  without  the  glass. 

The  border  of  the  grapery  we  have  in  use  was  begun 
by  excavating  the  natural  soil  to  the  depth  of  twenty 
inches  and  fifteen  feet  in  width,  for  the  length  of  the 
grapery  on  each  side.  The  inside  was  left  untouched, 


250  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

the  borders  being  entirely  outside.  The  bottom  of  the 
excavation  was  graded  from  the  front  of  the  building  to 
the  outside  of  the  borders,  with  a  fall  of  about  an  inch 
to  a  foot,  so  that  thorough  and  rapid  drainage  would  be 
sure  to  be  attained.  At  the  extremity  of  each  border  a 
drain  was  built  to  carry  off  the  water.  The  whole  bot- 
tom was  then  cemented  over  so  as  to  prevent  the  roots 
from  penetrating  the  subsoil.  This  pit  was  then  filled 
to  the  depth  of  about  two  feet  (four  inches  being  allowed 
for  settling)  with  a  compost  which  was  previously  pre- 
pared by  mixing  about  three  parts  of  turf  taken  from 
the  surface  of  a  rather  shaly  pasture,  one  part  of  rotten 
stable  manure,  and  one  part  of  lime  rubbish.  In  addi- 
tion, about  one-twentieth  part  of  rough  or  broken  bone 
was  added. 

It  is  one  of  the  popular  errors  that  vines  for  graperies 
should  be  two  or  three  years  old.  The  age  of  a  vine 
usually  has  but  little  to  do  with  its  size,  and  if  grape- 
vines are  properly  grown  the  first  year  from  cuttings, 
they  will  be  quite  as  good  for  planting  as  if  two  or  three 
years  old.  In  fact,  it  is  a  question  whether  a  vine  grown 
from  a  cutting  in  March,  and  planted  in  June,  is  not 
quite  as  good  as  one  a  year  older.  Our  experience  has 
shown  that  there  is  hardly  a  perceptible  difference  in  the 
two  at  the  end  of  the  season.  As  such  vines,  however, 
are  too  tender  to  be  shipped  far,  we  generally  recommend 
buying  one  year  old  vines  that  may  be  planted  in  April, 
May,  or  June,  having  ripened  shoots  about  three  feet  in 
length.  These  vines  are  all  grown  in  pots  the  previous 
season,  and  when  received  the  soil  should  be  shaken  off 
entirely,  and  the  roots  spread  out  in  the  border  without 
injuring  them.  The  root,  it  will  be  understood,  is 
planted  outside  in  the  border,  and  the  shoot  taken  inside, 
through  an  opening  in  the  walls,  which  may  be  made  of 
brick,  stone,  or  wood,  and  should  be  left  open  at  every 
three  feet,  the  distance  at  which  the  vines  should  be 


THE   COLD   GRAPERY.  251 

planted.  If  the  wall  is  of  wood,  it  can  easily  be  cut  to 
suit  the  size  of  the  vine.  The  plants  we  used  were  strong 
one-year-old  vines,  and  were  set  about  June  1st.  By 
October  they  had  grown  to  over  twenty  feet  in  length. 
In  November  they  were  cut  back  to  the  bottom  of  the 
rafter,  or  about  three  feet  from  the  ground,  and  quickly 
reached  the  top  again  the  second  year,  with  firm,  well- 
ripened  wood.  In  November  following  they  were  again 
pruned  back  to  about  five  feet  above  the  foot  of  the 
rafter,  or  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  These  shoots 
produced  the  300  pounds  of  fruit  referred  to  (the  third 
year  from  the  time  of  planting).  The  fourth  year  they 
reached  the  top  of  the  rafter,  when  a  much  larger  crop  was 
taken.  The  varieties  used  were  nine-tenths  Black  Ham- 
burgh, with  a  few  Muscats  and  Frontignans,  all  of  which 
have  done  exceedingly  well,  and  have  now  been  in  bearing 
nearly  twenty  years.  Since  they  have  been  in  full  bearing, 
which  was  five  years  from  the  time  of  planting,  they  have 
averaged,  one  year  with  another,  1250  pounds  of  splendid 
grapes,  or  about  one  pound  for  every  square  foot  of  base 
surface. 

Every  December  we  lay  the  vines  down  along  the  front 
tvall  after  being  pruned,  covering  them  completely  with 
soil  until  May,  when  they  are  taken  up  and  tied  to  the 
wires,  which  are  one-sixteenth  inch  galvanized  iron,  and 
run  across  the  rafters  fifteen  inches  apart  and  fifteen  inches 
from  the  glass.  The  training  followed  is  what  is  called 
the  "spur"  system,  which  is  simply  to  allow  one  cane  or 
shoot  to  each  rafter  (or  three  feet  apart),  and  pruning 
the  side  shoots  or  " bearing  wood''  annually  back  to  one 
eye,  which  is  the  same  plan  advised  for  hardy  grapes. 
In  the  summer  treatment  of  the  cold  grapery,  the  prin- 
ciple must  never  be  lost  sight  of,  that  to  keep  the  vines 
in  perfect  health,  a  temperature  of  not  less  than  seventy 
degrees  at  night,  with  ten  or  fifteen  degrees  higher  dur- 
ing the  day,  is  always  necessary.  Any  rapid  variation 


252  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

downward  is  certain  to  result  in  mildew.  The  floor  of 
the  grapery  should  be  kept  dashed  with  water  at  all 
times,  unless  in  damp  weather,  from  the  time  the  buds 
start  in  May  until  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen  in  September, 
except  during  the  period  the  vines  are  in  flower,  when  it 
should  be  dispensed  with  until  the  fruit  is  set.  If  the 
weather  is  dry,  copious  watering  is  nece'ssary  for  the 
border  outside.  The  summer  pruning  consists  simply  in 
pinching  off  the  laterals,  or  side  shoots  which  start  from 
where  the  leaf  joins  the  stem,  to  one  leaf.  Every  winter 
four  inches  of  the  best  well-rotted  stable  manure  is  spread 
over  the  border,  and  over  that  six  inches  of  leaves  or 
litter.  This  is  raked  off  in  spring,  and  the  manure 
forked  in,  the  object  being  to  feed  the  roots  from  the  top 
of  the  border.  This  same  treatment  we  give  our  hardy 
grapes  with  excellent  results. 

I  am  a  good  deal  of  a  utilitarian,  and  am  very  apt  to 
make  even  my  luxuries  "pay"  when  it  is  practicable  to 
do  so ;  and  though  I  would  hardly  think  of  selling  my 
grapes  that  have  been  grown  for  private  use,  yet  I  do  not 
scruple  to  make  the  glass  that  shelters  them  do  double 
duty  by  using  it  in  winter  to  shelter  our  half-hardy  Roses 
from  November  to  May.  Those  that  do  not  make  rose- 
growing  a  business,  as  I  do,  can  nevertheless  profit  by  my 
example,  and  use  the  cold  grapery  for  many  purposes 
during  the  winter  months  when  it  is  not  needed  for  the 
grape-  vines.  Besides  Roses,  all  plants  of  a  half-hardy  char- 
acter may  be  kept  there,  such  as  Pomegranates,  Oranges, 
Figs,  Crape  Myrtles,  Pampas  Grass, Tritomas,  Carnations, 
etc.,  care  being  taken  that  the  pots  or  tubs  in  which  they 
are  planted  are  plunged  in  leaves,  tan,  or  some  such  sub- 
stance, so  that  the  roots  do  not  freeze.  The  cold  grapery 
makes  an  excellent  poultry  house  in  winter,  only,  if  put 
to  that  use,  care  must  be  taken  that  the  buried  vines  are 
secure  against  the  scratching  of  the  hens.  In  some  sec- 
tions grape-vines  are  often  attacked,  when  thus  buried, 


THE   HOTHOUSE   OR   FORCING   GRAPERY.  253 

by  ground  mice,  which  gnaw  the  bark,  sometimes  so  as 
to  completely  destroy  them.  As  a  precaution,  it  is  well 
to  wrap  the  vines  with  hay,  straw,  or  cotton  batting,  over 
which  sprinkle  a  mixture  of  twenty  parts  flour  to  one  of 
Paris  green.  This  will  poison  the  mice  if  they  cut 
through  the  covering  to  get  at  the  bark.  Be  careful  not 
to  use  any  greater  proportion  of  Paris  green  than  advised, 
as  too  much  of  it  might  injure  the  vines  ;  or  the  labor  of 
wrapping  the  vines  may  be  dispensed  with  by  poisoning 
the  vermin  in  the  ordinary  way. 


CHAPTER   XLIII. 
THE  HOTHOUSE  OR  FORCING  GRAPERY. 

WHEN  grapes  are  forced  by  artificial  heat,  probably 
the  best  plan  is  that  of  the  "  lean-to  "  structure  shown  by 
the  illustrations,  figures  80,  81,  and  82.  Figure  80  gives 
the  plan,  which,  as  in  some  former  engravings,  it  is  not 
practicable  to  show  on  the  page  at  full  length  ;  and  it  is 
accordingly  "broken,"  a  portion,  as  shown  by  the  irregular 
lines,  being  taken  out  of  each  compartment.  The  figures 
give  the  proper  proportions.  Figure  8t  is  a  part  of  the 
front  elevation,  and  figure  82  a  section  at  the  division 
between  the  two  houses.  The  house  is  one  hundred  feet 
long  by  sixteen  feet  wide,  divided  into  two  compartments 
for  early  and  late  forcing,  each  fifty  by  sixteen  feet,  and 
both  heated  by  one  boiler,  with  valves  in  the  furnace  pit 
to  shut  off  and  taps  to  draAv  the  water  from  the  pipes 
not  in  use,  a  matter  to  be  looked  to  when  vineries  are 
not  in  use  ;  for  if  the  water  is  not  drawn  out  of  the  pipes 
it  may  freeze  and  break  them.  When  grapes  are  to  be 
forced,  it  is  essential  that  a  sufficient  covering  of  manure 
or  leaves  be  placed  on  the  border  to  prevent  frost  from 


254 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


Fig.   80.— PLAN  OF   FORCING  GRAPERY, 


THE  HOTHOUSE  OR  FORCING  GRAPERY. 


255 


reaching  the  roots,  as  to  apply  heat  to  the  vines  inside 
while  the  roots  are  frozen  would  seriously  injure  them. 
For  very  early  forcing,  when  the  vines  are  started  as 


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i     IILL. 

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Fig.   81. — ELEVATION  OF  FRONT  OP   FORCING  GRAPEBT  (IN  PABl). 


Fig.   82. — SECTION   OF   FORCING  GRAPERY. 

early  as  January,  it  is  usual  not  only  to  put  on  covering 
enough  to  secure  from  frost,  but  also  to  slightly  ferment, 
BO  as  to  throw  some  warmth  into  the  border.  No  matter 


256  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

at  what  season  the  grapery  is  started  for  forcing,  the 
temperature  should  not  run  over  fifty  or  fifty-five  degrees 
at  night,  with  a  day  temperature  of  ten  or  fifteen  degrees 
higher,  increasing  ten  degrees  when  the  buds  have 
opened,  which  will  be  in  four  or  five  weeks  from  the 
time  of  starting.  In  five  or  six  weeks  the  fruit  will  be 
set,  and  the  temperature  is  to  be  raised  ten  degrees 
more.  In  forcing,  moisture  is  of  equal  importance  with 
heat ;  for  if  this  is  not  attended  to,  you  may  expect  red 
spiders  and  thrips,  and  then  all  your  labor  may  be  in 
vain.  To  keep  up  this  moisture,  tanks  are  usually  placed 
on  the  hot- water  pipes  for  graperies,  and  these  are  kept 
filled  with  water,  keeping  up  a  continued  evaporation, 
except  at  the  time  the  vines  are  in  flower.  It  should 
then  be  discontinued  until  the  fruit  is  set.  "When  there 
is  no  such  arrangement  for  evaporation,  dash  water  over 
the  floors  and  use  the  syringe.  To  secure  fine  berries 
and  bunches,  one- half  of  the  berries  should  be  thinned 
out  when  of  the  size  of  peas,  using  scissors  made  for  this 
purpose.  The  rules  for  making  the  border,  pruning, 
training,  and  general  culture  are  the  same  for  the  forcing 
grapery  as  for  the  cold  grapery. 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 
THE     STRAWBERRY. 

OF  all  small  fruits,  none  stand  so  high  in  general 
favor  as  the  Strawberry.  Its  culture  is  simple  ;  and  as 
it  grows  freely  in  almost  any  soil,  adapting  itself  to  the 
climate  of  the  extreme  South  as  well  as  to  our  most 
Northern  States,  no  garden  of  any  pretensions  should  be 
without  it.  If  a  choice  of  soil  can  be  had,  nothing  is  so 
suitable  as  a  deep,  rich,  but  rather  sandy  loam,  though  it 
will  yield  returns  sufficient  to  warrant  its  cultivation  on 


THE   STRAWBERRY.  257 

any  soil,  from  almost  pure  sand  to  clay,  provided  it  is 
drained  naturally  or  artificially.  In  all  soils,  deep  spad- 
ing or  plowing  is  essential  to  the  production  of  fine 
crops  ;  and  this  should  not  be  less  than  a  foot,  and  if 
eighteen  inches,  all  the  better.  A  coat  of  thoroughly 
rotted  stable  manure,  at  least  three  inches  in  thickness, 
should  be  dug  in  and  well  mixed  with  the  soil  to  a  depth 
of  six  or  nine  inches.  In  the  absence  of  stable  manure, 
any  of  the  concentrated  fertilizers  mentioned  in  Chapter 
VI.,  "How  to  Use  Concentrated  Fertilizers,"  used  in 
the  manner  and  quantities  there  described,  will  do  as  a 
substitute.  Where  muck  from  the  swamps  or  leaf  mold 
from  the  woods  can  be  obtained,  twenty  bushels  of  either 
of  these  mixed  with  one  bushel  of  ashes  will  make  an  ex- 
cellent fertilizer  for  Strawberries,  and  may  be  spread  on 
as  thickly  as  stable  manure,  and  on  sandy  soils  is  prob- 
ably better. 

Strawberries  may  be  planted  either  in  the  fall  or  spring. 
If  the  plants  are  to  be  set  in  the  fall,  it  should  not  be 
done,  in  this  latitude,  if  it  can  be  avoided,  before  the 
middle  of  September.  This,  of  course,  refers  to  the 
plants  from  runners  taken  up  from  the  bed  in  the  usual 
manner  ;  and  there  is  nothing  gained  in  time  over  plant- 
ing the  next  spring,  as  the  plant  must  grow  for  one  sea- 
son before  it  can  bear  a  full  crop  of  fruit.  In  private 
gardens  it  is  much  better  to  have  the  plants  layered  in 
pots,  as  they  may  then  be  set  at  almost  any  time.  These 
pots  may  be  from  two  to  three  inches  in  diameter.  When 
a  lot  of  Strawberry  plants  are  wanted  for  a  new  bed,  all 
that  is  necessary  to  do  is  to  fill  these  small  pots  with 
soil,  and  "plunge"  or  plant  the  pot  just  to  the  surface 
level,  placing  the  unrooted  "runner"  of  the  Strawberry 
plant  on  the  top  of  the  soil  in  the  iiower  pot,  and  laying 
a  small  stone  or  clod  on  it  to  keep  it  in  place.  This 
method  of  striking  in  pots  is  shown  in  figure  83.  The 
runners  so  treated  will  form  plants  in  two  or  three  weeks, 


258 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


and  may  be  planted  out  with  safety  any  time  from 
August  to  October.  If  Strawberry  plants,  treated  in 
this  way,  are  planted  in  August,  and  care  taken  that  all 
runners  that  come  from  them  be  cut  off  as  soon  as 
formed,  so  that  the  whole  force  of  the  root  is  thrown 
into  the  main  crown,  a  full  crop  of  berries  will  be 
gathered  the  season  following,  or  in  nine  or  ten  montns 
from  the  time  of  planting.  We  have  practised  this  sys- 
tem of  layering  Strawberry  plants  in  pots,  for  what  we 


Fig.  83. — STRIKING  STRAWBERRIES  IN  POTS. 

need  for  our  own  use,  for  the  past  twenty  years,  and  the 
results  have  been  so  successful  that  we  have  many  con- 
verts to  the  system,  not  only  among  those  who  grow  for 
their  own  private  use,  but  many  who  grow  this  fruit  for 
market  now  use  no  other  method.  Plants  grown  in  this 
manner  can  be  obtained  from  the  nurseries,  but  the  nec- 
essary labor  and  the  expense  of  the  pots  make  the  price 
five  times  more  than  that  of  ordinary  plants  rooted  in  the 
usual  way  and  known  as  "ground  layers." 


THE    STRAWBERRY.  259 

When  Strawberry  plants  are  set  out  in  the  fall,  unless 
under  favorable  circumstances,  many  will  fail  to  grow, 
for  the  reason  that  each  young  plant  or  runner  is  sus- 
tained in  part  by  the  old  plant,  and  when  detached,  feels 
the  shock  more  than  a  rooted  cutting  or  seedlmg  plant 
does,  that  has  been  growing  for  weeks  on  its  own  ac- 
count. For  that  reason  we  have  always  advised  all  that 
were  intending  to  plant  fresh  Strawberry  beds,  to  prepare 
their  plants  a  few  weeks  ahead  by  layering  them  in  pots. 
Two  to  four  hundred  plants  are  all  that  an  ordinary 
family  will  need,  and  two  or  three  hours'  work  would  be 
all  the  time  required  to  layer  the  plants  in  the  pots. 
One  hundred  plants  so  prepared  will  give  more  fruit  the 
first  season  than  a  thousand  planted  in  the  usual  way, 
and  the  plant  forms  a  clump  quicker,  and  much  less  time 
is  expended  in  keeping  them  clean.  The  use  of  layered 
plants  is  recommended  specially  for  summer  and  fall 
planting.  The  plants  may  be  obtained,  by  this  plan  of 
layering,  as  early  as  July,  and  the  sooner  they  are  set  out 
the  greater  will  be  the  crop  of  fruit  the  next  season,  al- 
though if,  for  any  reason,  the  layered  plants  cannot  be 
obtained  to  plant  before  September,  they  will  even  then 
produce  a  fair  crop  of  fruit.  Our  own  planting  is 
usually  done  by  the  first  week  in  August,  and  we  rarely 
obtain  less  than  a  pint  from  each  plant. 

In  spring  the  use  of  potted  plants  would  have  no  spe- 
cial advantage,  as,  if  planted  in  April  or  May,  they  would 
have  all  the  summer  to  grow,  but,  of  course,  little  fruit 
can  be  expected  the  season  of  planting.  For  this  reason, 
it  will  be  seen  that,  to  secure  a  crop  quickly,  the  time  to 
plant  is  in  July,  August,  or  September,  and  from  plants 
that  have  been  layered  in  pots.  There  is  no  arbitrary 
rule  for  the  distance  apart  at  which  Strawberry  plants 
should  be  set;  but  if  the  ground  has  been  prepared  as  ad- 
vised, the  finest  fruit  will  be  had  by  giving  them  plenty 
of  room.  For  our  own  use  we  usuallv  set  four  hundred 


S60  'GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

plants  annually  in  August,  at  two  feet  apart  between  the 
TOWS,  and  eighteen  inches  between  the  plants,  and  gather 
ftbout  two  hundred  quarts  of  splendid  fruit.  If  the 
ground  is  limited  they  may  be  planted  at  half  the  above 
distances,  particularly  if  set  late  in  fall.  There  is  no  plant 
cultivated  where  the  necessity  for  keeping  the  ground 
clean  is  so  imperative  as  it  is  for  Strawberries.  It  never 
can  be  made  profitable  under  slipshod  culture,  for, 
from  the  nature  of  the  plant,  it  cannot  defend  itself 
against  weeds,  and  if  neglected  will  quickly  get  over- 
whelmed and  destroyed.  Thousands  of  acres  of  Straw- 
berries are  planted  annually,  which,  from  the  Avant  of 
prompt  work  at  the  proper  time,  are  allowed  to  be  de- 
stroyed by  weeds.  At  a  small  cost  in  labor,  at  the 
proper  time,  such  crops  might  havo  paid  a  handsome 
profit. 

There  is  one  very  important  point  in  Strawberry  cul- 
ture that  should  never  be  neglected  ;  and  that  is,  that 
the  beds  be  entirely  covered  with  hay,  straw,  or  leaves, 
to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  inches.  This  covering 
should  not  be  put  on,  however,  before  the  approach  of  se- 
vere weather,  which,  in  this  latitude,  is  about  the  middle 
of  December.  This  covering  should  not  be  taken  off  in 
spring.  It  is  only  necessary  to  go  over  the  beds  as  soon 
as  growth  begins,  and  pull  the  covering  back  from  the 
plants  just  sufficient  to  expose  the  crown,  allowing  all  to 
remain  on  the  bed.  This  covering  serves  several  purposes. 
It  keeps  the  roots  warm  until  the  plants  start  to  grow; 
it  keeps  the  fruit  clean  when  ripe  ;  it  prevents  the  growth 
of  weeds,  and,  finally,  acts  as  a  mulch  to  keep  the  soil 
from  drying  in  hot  weather. 

Although  Strawberry  beds  will  remain  in  bearing  for  a 
number  of  years,  the  fruit  is  always  largest  and  finest  the 
first  season  of  bearing,  gradually  getting  smaller  as  the 
plants  get  older  ;  hence  it  is  desirable  to  provide  for  a  suc- 
cession, if  not  every  year,  at  least  every  second  year.  For 


THE   STRAWBERRY.  261 

garden  culture  in  this,  as  in  all  other  fruits,  it  is  unwise  to 
use  any  but  fully  tested  varieties,  five  or  six  of  which  are 
sufficient.  Here,  again,  as  in  almost  every  other  fruit  or 
flower,  the  advance  in  excellence  compels  us  to  name  a 
different  set  every  few  years  ;  so  that,  of  the  kinds  ad- 
vised in  the  last  edition  of  this  book  written  in  1875, 
not  one  can  be  named  in  1887;  and  it  may  be  that  in 
another  decade  these  too  will  have  been  superseded 
by  others  more  desirable. 

VARIETIES    OF   THE     STRAWBERRY. 

There  are  hardly  two  sections  of  the  country,  one  hun- 
dred miles  apart,  where  the  same  varieties  of  Strawberries 


Fig.    84.— THE    HENBEKSON    STRAWBERRY. 


are  grown.     We  can  only  offer  those  grown  in  the  vicinity 
of  New  York  as  our  standard. 

The  Henderson   (figure   84).      This  new  Strawberry 
originated  with  Mr.  George  Seymour,  South  Norwalk, 


2G3  GARDENING    FOll    PLEASURE. 

Conn.,  in  1883,  who  named  it  in  honor  of  the  author 
of  this  work.  It  is  doubtful  if  there  is  another  Straw- 
berry in  cultivation  having  such  a  combination  of 
good  qualities  as  the  Henderson.  The  fruit  is  of  the 
largest  size,  rich,  glossy  crimson  in  color,  looking  as  if 
varnished,  early,  and  exceedingly  productive  ;  but  its  ex- 
celling merit  is  its  exquisite  flavor  and  aroma.  Whether 
for  family  or  market  use,  the  Henderson  is  almost 
certain  to  become  a  standard  sort,  particularly  on  light 
soils.  It  seems  not  to  be  so  well  adapted  to  heavy  soils. 


iGT.    85. — CRIMSON    CLUSTER    STRAWBERRY. 

It  is  a  perfect- flowered  variety,  and,  therefore,  never  fails 
to  set  its  fruit. 

Crimson  Cluster  (figure  85).  On  the  10th  of  June, 
1886,  I  examined  this  Strawberry  on  the  grounds  of 
the  raiser,  Mr.  E.  W.  Durand,  and  found  3,000  plants 
that  had  been  planted  on  the  15th  of  August,  1885, 
which,  in  less  than  ten  months  from  the  date  of  planting, 
were  producing  a  crop  that  would  average  fully  a  quart 
to  each  plant ;  3,000  quarts  from  the  3,000  plants,  or  at 
the  rate  of  over  20,000  quarts  per  acre.  The  crop  was  so 
immense,  and  the  size  of  the  berries  so  large,  that  the 


THE    STRAWBERRY. 


263 


pickers,  who  were  paid  two  cents  per  quart,  averaged 
twenty-five  quarts  per  hour,  or  five  dollars  per  day  ;  a 
fact  beyond  question,  and  which  could  be  attested  by  a 
dozen  affidavits.  At  the  first  picking,  every  yard  of  row 
yielded  a  quart  of  fruit.  When  to  this  extraordinary 
production  we  add  the  further  facts,  that  this  Strawberry 
is  of  the  richest  crimson  color,  borne  in  immense  clusters 
(hence  the  name),  and  that  it  is  one  of  the  earliest  as 
well  as  the  latest  —  as  its  great  vigor  prolongs  its  season 


Fig.  83.— JERSEY  QUEEN    STRAWBERRY. 

of  fruiting — combined  with  its  excellent  quality,  there  is 
svery  reason  to  think  that  it  is  bound  to  be  the  most 
valuable  Strawberry  ever  raised  by  Mr.  Durand. 

On  the  10th  of  July,  one  month  after  my  first  exami- 
nation, seventy  quarts  of  splendid  fruit  were  gathered 
from  the  3,000'pknts  above  referred  to  ;  and  furthermore, 
to  show  that  it  still  kept  on  fruiting,  Mr.  Durand  sent 
me  a  large  cluster  of  berries  in  all  stages  of  development 
on  the  30th  of  July  ;  something  entirely  unknown  in  a 


264 


GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 


Strawberry  that  had   already  given  an  immense  early 
crop. 

Mr.  Durand  says  that  the  Crimson  Cluster  is  so 
completely  a  pistillate  variety  that  the  stamens  can 
hardly  be  seen,  yet,  he  further  says,  it  may  be  planted 
five  miles  away  from  any  other  Strawberry  and  never  fail 
to  produce  enormous  crops.  He  adds  that  he  has  grown 
it  in  frames  under  glass  in  early  spring,  where  it  could 


Fig.   87.— SHARPLESS    STRAWBERRY. 

not  possibly  be  impregnated  with  any  other  variety,  with 
the  same  results — an  abundant  crop. 

He  thinks  that  this  fact,  to  a  great  extent,  upsets  the 
very  prevalent  notion  that  perfect  stamens  and  pistils  on 
the  same  plant  are  necessary  to  produce  a  crop  of  fruit. 
Without  having  personally  given  the  matter  much  atten- 
tion, I  have  long  believed,  from  general  observation,  that 
there  was  more  importance  given  to  the  necessity  for 


THE     STRAWBERRY.  265 

"perfect  flowers,"  as  they  are  called,  in  Strawberries 
than  results  warranted.  From  its  free  fruiting  qualities 
I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  Crimson  Cluster  will 
prove  to  be  a  grand  forcing  Strawberry. 

Jersey  Queen  (figure  86).  This  variety  was  sold  for 
the  first  lime  in  the  fall  of  1881,  and  is,  perhaps,  one 
of  the  very  best  late  Strawberries  thus  far  introduced. 
The  size  is  immense,  often  measuring  six  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. Shape,  roundish  conical ;  color,  a  beautiful 


Fig.    88.— THE  JEWELL   STRAWBERRY. 

scarlet  crimson ;  perfectly  solid,  and  of  excellent  flavor. 
It  is  an  enormous  bearer,  many  plants  averaging  a  quart 
of  first  quality  fruit.  It  is  one  of  the  latest  Strawberries, 
the  crop  in  this  vicinity  being  in  perfection  about  the 
25th  of  June,  while  the  average  crop  of  Strawberries  is 
at  its  best  by  the  loth  of  June.  For  this  reason  it  is 
found  to  be  one  of  the  best  kinds  to  grow  at  the  summer 
hotels  in  the  North. 

Sliarpless  (figure  87).     With  the  exception  of  Jersey 
Queen  and  Crimson  Cluster,  the  largest  and  one  of  the 


266  GARDENING     FOR    PLEASURE. 

Jieaviest  oerries  of  this  collection.  It  is  of  fine  flavor,  a 
good  bearer,  and  has  now  become  a  standard  sort. 

Parry. — One  of  the  earliest  large  berries,  of  great 
beauty,  excellent  quality,  prolific,  and  one  of  the  very 
hardiest  and  strongest  growers.  , 

Jewell  (figure  88).  A  comparatively  new  variety,  orig- 
inated in  1880.  It  is  of  the  largest  size,  perfect  form, 
color  bright  red  changing  to  crimson,  of  medium  earli- 
ness  ;  an  enormous  cropper,  sometimes  reaching  four 
hundred  bushels  per  acre. 

Tiie  Hoffman. — This  is  now  the  most  popular  berry  for 
the  Southern  States.  It  is  of  medium  size,  average  flavor, 
but  a  most  abundant  bearer  and  strong  grower,  and, 
above  all,  has  the  requisite  solidity  or  firmness  essential 
for  distant  carriage. 

FORCING    STRAWBERRIES. 

The  three-quarter  span  greenhouses  (already  described 
and  illustrated  in  the  chapter  on  Greenhouse  Structures), 
or  the  lean-to  style,  as  advised  for  forcing  graperies,  are 
equally  adapted,  with  slight  modification,  for  the  forcing 
of  Strawberries.  This  modification  is  in  having  the 
benches  or  tables  raised,  so  as  to  be  as  near  the  glass  as 
it  is  practicable  to  have  them,  as  shown  by  the  sketch  (fig- 
ure 89)  of  end  section  annexed.  The  proper  preparation 
of  the  plants  for  Strawberry  forcing  is  indispensable  to 
success.  This  is  best  done  by  layering  the  runners  in  small 
pots,  as  described  under  the  head  of  "  Strawberry  Cul- 
ture. "  The  layers  may  be  placed  in  the  pots  at  any  time 
from  the  middle  of  July  to  September  1st.  When  the 
pot  is  filled  with  roots  (which  will  be  in  about  two  or 
three  weeks  from  the  time  the  Strawberry  runner  is 
placed  in  it),  it  is  taken  up  and  shifted  into  a  four-inch 
pot  in  soil  four-fifths  turfy  loam  to  one-fifth  rotted  cow 
dung,  to  which  may  be  added  a  slight  sprinkling  of  pure 
bone  dust— say  a  handful  to  every  bushel  of  soil. 


THE    STKAAVBERBY.  267 

When  the  Strawberry  plants  have  been  shifted  from 
the  pots  in  which  they  were 'layered  into  the  four-inch 
size,  they  should  be  set  in  the  open  sunshine,  standing 
the  pots  close  together,  and  carefully  watered  as  occasion 
requires,  so  as  to  induce  the  best  possible  growth.  All 
runners  should  be  carefully  pinched  off  as  they  appear, 
so  that  the  whole  force  of  the  roots  may  go  to  develop 
the  main  plant,  or  fruiting  crown,  as  it  is  sometimes 
called.  In  four  or  five  weeks  the  four-inch  pots  will  be 


Tig.  89.—  STRAWBERRY  FORCING  HOUSE. 

filled  with  roots,  and  the  plants  must  again  be  shifted  into 
six-inch  pots  and  treated  as  before,  which  will  give,  by 
the  middle  of  October,  the  necessary  strong  plants  for 
forcing.  As  the  season  of  growth  stops  about  this  date, 
water  should  be  withheld  to  some  extent,  so  that  the 
plants  may  get  a  season  of  rest. 

When  they  are  placed  in  the  forcing-house  they  may 
either  be  planted  out  on  the  benches  at  six  or  eight  inches 
apart,  in  soil  five  or  six  inches  deep,  or  they  may  be 
forced  in  the  pots,  as  may  be  desired  ;  but,  in  any  case, 
twice  as  many  plants  should  be  prepared  as  will  fill  the 


268  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

house,  for,  if  desired,  two  crops  can  easily  be  raised  in 
succession.  The  first  plants  should  be  placed  in  the 
forcing-house  about  November  loth.  These  will  produce 
ripe  fruit  by  January  or  February.  Plants  put  in  in 
February  will  be  ready  by  March  or  April.  Of  coursep 
it  will  be  necessary  to  keep  the  reserve  plants  of  Straw< 
berries  in  a  dormant  state,  which  is  best  done  in  cold 
frames  or  pits,  or  even  in  a  light  or  cold  cellar,  the  pots 
being  plunged  up  to  the  rims  in  dry  leaves. 

Tho  best  rule  to  follow  in  forcing  any  plant  is  to  keep 
as  near  as  possible  to  its  natural  condition.  "We  know 
that,  as  the  Strawberry  plant  develops  its  leaves  and 
flowers  throughout  May  in  this  latitude  in  the  open 
ground,  the  night  temperature  will  average,  perhaps, 
forty  degrees  for  the  first  two  weeks  in  May  and  fifty 
degrees  for  the  last  weeks,  while  for  the  first  two  weeks 
in  June  it  will  be  about  sixty  degrees  at  night,  and  in  all 
cases  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees  higher  in  the  day.  This, 
then,  is  our  rule  for  the  forcing  houses  :  Start  slowly, 
increasing  the  temperature  as  the  plant  develops  and 
ripens  its  fruit,  just  as  Nature  does  in  the  field. 

Like  Cucumbers,  artificial  impregnation  is  necessary 
for  the  Strawberry  in  the  dull  winter  months.  This  is 
best  done  by  using  a  camel's  hair  pencil,  twirling  it  from 
one  flower  to  another  (particularly  from  the  perfect  to 
the  pistillate  flowers,  if  such  varieties  are  forced)  on  clear 
days,  and  allowing  all  possible  ventilation.  Sometimes 
hives  of  bees  are  kept  in  Strawberry  and  Cucumber 
forcing  houses,  to  assist  in  the  impregnation. 

Seme  judgment  is  necessary  in  watering  until  there  are 
indications  of  vigorous  growth.  Water  at  the  roots  spar- 
ingly; but,  at  the  same  time,  do  not  allow  the  soil  to  get 
too  dry,  and  be  careful  not  to  water  the  plants  overhead 
when  in  bloom,  as  that  will  check  the  impregnation. 
When  the  fruit  has  "  set,"  give  water  freely  whenever 
necessary,  and  throughout  the  whole  season  of  growth 


THE    STRAWBERRY.  269 

keep  the  atmosphere  of  the  house  well  charged  with 
moisture,  in  order  to  keep  down  the  Red  Spider,  the  in- 
sect which  is  quickly  destructive  to  both  Strawberries 
and  Cucumbers. 

The  kinds  of  Strawberries  which  seem  to  have  been  the 
favorites  for  forcing  are  the  Champion,  a  rather  dark 
crimson  berry  of  great  beauty  and  of  the  largest  size, 
with  occasional  trials  of  Jersey  Queen,  on  account  of  the 
great  size  and  beauty  of  the  fruit.  But  the  new  variety 
Crimson  Cluster,  from  trials  made  with  it,  is  likely  to 
prove  the  most  valuable  variety  for  forcing  purposes.  It 
is  of  the  largest  size,  of  beautiful  form ;  color,  a  rich 
shade  of  scarlet  crimson,  the  surface  looking  as  if  var- 
nished. These  peculiarities  make  it  specially  attractive, 
a  necessity  for  forced  Strawberries  when  retailed  at  about 
fifty  cents  a  berry;  for  in  the  winter  months,  it  must  bo 
remembered,  they  sell  at  wholesale  at  six  dollars  per 
quart,  and  it  takes  only  eighteen  to  twenty  large  berries 
to  make  a  quart. 

To  our  rural  readers  this  extraordinary  price  paid  for 
fruit  may  seem  incredible ;  but  all  large  cities  contain 
people  who  are  rich  enough  to  afford  these  prices,  not 
only  for  fruits,  but  for  flowers,  for  it  is  no  unusual  thing 
for  one  dollar  and  even  two  dollars  to  be  paid  for  single 
rosebuds  of  the  rarer  or  finer  sorts.  At  the  same  date 
that  forced  Strawberries  are  selling  in  New  York  at  six 
dollars  per  quart,  or  forced  Cucumbers  at  six  dollars  per 
dozen,  both  Strawberries  and  Cucumbers  grown  in  the 
Southern  States  are  selling  at  one-sixth  these  prices ;  but 
the  quality,  of  course,  bears  no  comparison  with  the 
forced  commodities.  Besides  its  value  as  a  fruit,  as  a 
beautiful  feature  in  the  forcing  house  nothing  exceeds 
the  Strawberry  when  fully  ripe.  A  few  dozen  plants  will 
fill  the  house  with  their  delightful  aroma. 


270  GARDENING    FOP.    PLEASUEE. 

EASPBEERY. 

To  have  the  Raspberry  in  perfection,  the  same  prepara- 
tion of  soil  is  necessary  as  for  the  Strawberry,  only  that, 
while,  for  the  best  results,  the  Strawberry  bed  must  be 
perfectly  clear  of  shade,  the  Easpberries  will  do  very  well 
in  a  little  shade  ;  that  is,  in  such  a  situation  as  will  allow 
them  one  half  or  so  of  the  sunlight.  The  canes  or  shoots 
of  the  Raspberry  are  biennial;  that  is,  the  cane  or  shoot 
that  is  formed  one  season  bears  fruit  the  next  season,  and 
dies  off  after  fruiting,  giving  place  to  the  young  cane  that 
is  to  fruit  the  following  season,  and  so  on.  The  distances 
apart  to  plant  the  Raspberry  for  garden  culture  may  be, 
if  in  rows,  four  feet  apart,  with  the  plants  two  feet  apart 
in  the  row;  or,  if  in  separate  stools  or  hills,  they  may  be 
set  three  feet  each  way;  or,  planted  at  distances  of  four 
feet  apart,  three  plants  may  be  put  in  each  "  hill,"  which 
will  sooner  secure  a  crop.  They  may  be  set  either  in 
fall  or  in  spring.  If  in  the  fall,  a  covering  of  four  or  five 
inches  of  dry  leaves  or  litter  should  be  spread  over  the  roots 
to  prevent  them  from  getting  too  much  frozen.  Even 
when  the  plants  are  established  and  growing,  it  is  neces- 
sary, in  many  cold  sections,  to  bend  down  the  canes  and 
cover  them  with  pine  branches  or  some  covering  that  will 
shield  them  from  severe  freezing.  On  a  large  scale  the 
canes  are  bent  down  and  covered  with  a  few  inches  of 
earth,  an  operation  that  may  be  rapidly  performed  by  two 
persons.  One  bends  down  the  canes  (using  a  pitchfork 
or  other  implement),  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  dia- 
gram (figure  90),  while  the  other  throws  sufficient  earth 
near  the  tips  to  hold  the  canes  in  place.  After  a  row  is 
thus  bent  over,  the  two  go  back  and  cover  with  earth 
more  completely. 

All  the  pruning  that  is  necessary  for  the  Raspberry  is 
to  thin  out  the  shoots  in  each  hill  to  four  or  six.  This 
is  best  done  in  the  summer  after  the  fruit  is  gathered, 


RASPBERRY.  271 

and  at  the  same  time  the  old  canes  that  have  borne  the 
fruit  should  be  cut  out,  so  that  the  young  shoots,  coming 
forward  to  do  duty  next  season,,  may  have  room  to 


Fig.  90.— LAYING   DOWN  RASPBERRY   CANES. 

grow  freely,  and  develop  and  ripen  the  wood.  On  rich 
soils  these  shoots  are  very  vigorous,  and,  if  left  to  grow 
unchecked,  would  reach  seven  to  eight  feet  in  hight;  but 
it  is  best  to  pinch  out  the  tops  of  the  young  shoots  when 


Fig.  91.— TRAINING   RASPBERRIES   TO   A  WIRE. 

about  six  feet  high.  This  makes  the  shoots  stouter,  be- 
sides keeping  the  plant  at  a  convenient  hight  to  pick  the 
fruit.  When  the  leaves  drop  in  fall,  the  canes  may  be 


272 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


shortened   down  a  foot  or  so,  which  will  complete  the 
pruning  process. 

To  get  the  full  benefit  of  all  the  fruit,  it  is  very  neces- 
sary to  stake  the  Raspberry.     This  may  be  done  either  by 


tying  the  canes  of  each  plant  separately  to  a  stout  stake, 
driven  two  feet  or  so  into  the  ground,  or,  if  grown  in  rows, 
they  may  be  tied  to  wires  running  along  the  rows.  The 


RASPBERRY.  273 

wires  should  be  stretched  between  two  stout  posts,  one  at 
each  end  of  the  row,  and  three  feei,  more  or  less,  above 
the  ground,  according  to  variety.  To  prevent  the  wire 
from  sagging,  stakes  should  be  driven  into  the  ground 
directly  under  it,  at  intervals  of  six  or  ten  feet.  The 
wire  is  attached  to  these  by  means  of  staples  placed  over 
it  and  driven  into  the  ends  of  the  stakes.  The  diagram 
(figure  91)  shows  the  method  of  training  to  the  wire.  The 
longer  canes  at  the  right  and  left  are  the  canes  which  are 
to  fruit  the  current  year.  These  are  tied  out  as  there 
shown,  while  the  new  shoots,  which  are  to  furnish  canes 
for  the  next  year's  fruiting,  grow  up  in  the  center,  and 
as  soon  as  tall  enough  are  tied  to  the  wire.  After  the 
outer  canes  have  fruited,  they  are  cut  away  to  give  the 
others  more  room. 

The  varieties  are  very  numerous.  Those  named  below 
are  such  as  will  be  most  satisfactory  for  private  use  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  From  one  hundred  to  two 
hundred  hills  or  plants,  of  all  varieties,  will  usually  be 
sufficient  for  most  families. 

Hansell. — One  of  the  earliest  of  all  the  Ked  Raspberries. 
It  is  of  large  size,  beautiful  in  appearance,  and  has  a  rich, 
spicy  flavor.  Color  a  bright  crimson.  It  is  one  of  the 
hardiest  varieties,  and  has  for  the  past  five  years  been 
considered  one  of  the  best  for  either  family  or  market 
use.  (Figure  92. ) 

Cuthbert. — Somewhat  larger  than  the  Hansell.  Color 
dark  crimson;  flavor  sprightly  and  delicious.  Comes  in 
in  succession  to  the  Hansell. 

Golden  Queen. — Found  growing  in  a  field  of  the  Cuth- 
bert  Raspberry,  and  is,  in  all  probability,  a  "  sport,"  as 
it  is  technically  called,  from  that  variety.  The  berry  is 
of  the  largest  size.  The  color  is  a  deep  orange  yellow, 
and,  like  all  the  yellow  kinds,  is  richer  in  flavor  than 


274 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


the  reds,  and  far  surpassing  them  in  our  opinion.     Be- 
sides, the  rich  orange  yellow  color  makes  it  a  beautiful 


Fig.   93. — GOLDEN    QUEEN    RASPBERRY. 

table  ornament  when  placed  alongside  of  the  red  and  black 
varieties.     (Figure  93.) 


THIMBLEBEKRY.  275 

THIMBLEBERRY  OR  BLACK  CAP  RASPBERRIES 

Eavo  become  very  popular  of  late  years,  many  persons 
preferring  their  peculiar  flavor  to  that  of  the  red  or  yel- 
low.. They  belong  to  a  distinct  species  of  Raspberry. 
The  plants  make  no  suckers,  but  propagate  themselves  by 
taking  root  at  the  ends  of  the  long  branches,  which  in 
the  fall,  if  allowed  to  grow  at  will,  bend  over  and  reach 
the  earth.  They  throw  up  shoots  from  the  base  of  the 
plant,  which  take  the  place  of  those  which  have  already 
borne  a  crop.  In  gardens,  where  there  is  no  desire  to 


Fig.    94.— GKEGG    THIMBLEBEKRY. 

propagate  the  plants,  the  growing  shoots  should  be 
pinched  off  when  they  get  three  or  four  feet  high, 
and  any  side  shoots  they  may  throw  off  are  stopped  by 
pinching  when  they  are  about  eighteen  inches  long.  The 
bearing  wood  is  thinned  out  after  the  fruit  is  off.  They 
are  of  the  easiest  culture,  and  even  on  light  sandy  or 
gravelly  soils  good  crops  can  be  raised.  They  should  be 
planted  about  four  feet  apart  each  way,  or  five  feet  between 


276  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

rows  and  two  feet  between  the  plants,  for  garden  culture. 
The  Black  Cap  is  the  only  Raspberry  suitable  for  drying, 
and  for  that  purpose  it  is  now  largely  grown. 

Gregg. — This  is  now  grown  to  nearly  the  exclusion  of 
all  other  kinds  of  Black  Caps.  It  is  of  the  largest  size, 
excellent  flavor,  and  enormously  productive.  The  cut 
(figure  94)  shows  a  few  berries  of  natural  size. 

Erhart  Everbearing. — This  is  also  an  excellent  variety, 
nearly  equal  to  the  Gregg,  with  the  property  of  bearing 
three  crops  during  the  season,  the  last  crop  being  late  in 
the  fall. 

BLACKBERRY. 

The  cultivation  of  the  Blackberry  is  nearly  similar  to 
that  of  the  Easpberry,  except  that  it  should  be  planted 
about  one-third  farther  apart,  and  being  hardier,  there 
is  no  need  for  covering  it  in  winter  in  this  latitude.  As 
it  has  a  more  vigorous  growth,  it  is  sometimes  set  in  any 
out-of-the-way  corner,  and  in  almost  any  soil ;  but  it  will 
amply  repay  generous  cultivation  with  finer  fruit.  The 
manner  of  growth  is  the  same  as  the  Raspberry ;  and 
when  the  fruit  is  picked,  the  old  canes  are  to  be  cut  out 
to  give  the  new  ones  a  chance.  The  new  shoots  grow 
vigorously,  and  when  they  reach  the  hight  of  five,  or,  at 
most,  six  feet,  they  should  be  stopped  by  -pinching. 
This  will  cause  an  abundance  of  side  shoots  to  start, 
which  are  to  be  pinched  when  about  eighteen  inches  long. 
This  treatment  increases  the  productiveness  of  the  plants 
and  keeps  the  fruit  within  reach.  The  bushes  should  be 
kept  tied  to  stout  stakes  or  wires,  as  advised  for  the 
Raspberry. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  popular  kinds: 
Early  Harvest. — This  is  not  only  a  first-class  Black- 
berry in  every  respect,  but  its  great  merit  is  earliness, 
coming  right  in  to  succeed  the  Strawberries,  beginning 
in  this  section  to  ripen  the  first  wqek  in  July,  and  per- 


BLACKBERRY. 


277 


fecting  its  entire  crop  before  other  kinds  have  ripened. 
It  is  enormously  productive,  a  quart  of  fine  fruit  being 
easily  picked  from  a  single  shoot.  (Figure  95.) 


Wilson,  Jr. — This  comparatively  new  variety  combines 
all  the  good  qualities  of  the  old  Wilson  Blackberry,  and 
exceeds  it  in  being  of  a  more  vigorous  and  healthy 
growth,  and,  like  the'  Early  Harvest,  produces  immense 


278 


GARDENIXG  FOR  PLEASURE. 


Kg.  96.— THE  WILSON,  JUNIOR,   BLACKBEBBY. 


BLACKBERRY.  279 

quantities  of  fruit  of  the  finest  quality.  As  will  be  seen 
by  the  illustration  (figure  96),  the  fruit  is  of  the  largest 
size.  Color,  deep  glossy  black. 

Wachusetts  Thornless. — A  strong  growing  variety,  al- 
most destitute  of  spines,  which  makes  it,  for  that  reason, 
much  prized  for  the  private  garden.  It  is  a  late  variety, 
beginning  to  ripen  in  midsummer,  and  continuing  for  a 
long  time  in  bearing.  Of  unsurpassed  flavor. 


Fig.   97.— LUCRETIA    DEWBERRY. 

Lucretia. — This  belongs  to  the  class  of  Blackberries 
known  as  Dewberries.  They  are  of  trailing  habit,  doing 
nicely  along  the  foot  of  old  walls  or  waste  places,  creep- 
ing in  the  grass.  Of  course,  if  given  garden  culture, 
which  might  be  similar  to  that  for  Strawberries,  the  fruit 
will  be  finer.  It  is  an  interesting  variety,  and  well 
worthy  of  a  place  in  every  garden.  (Figure  97.) 


280  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Crystal  White. — This  seems,  as  Mr.  Lovett  says,  "a 
veritable  albino,"  a  white  Black- 
berry, a  novelty  as  rare  as  a  white 
crow  or  a  white  blackbird  among 
birds.  It  is  of  clear,  translucent 
white,  very  sweet  and  pleasant 
in  flavor.  Well  worthy,  from  its 
novelty,  of  a  place  in  the  fruit 
garden.  It  is  less  hardy  than  the 
black  kinds,  requiring  the  same 
protection  as  raspberries  (tig.  98). 

Fig.  98.— CRYSTAL  WHITE. 

CURRANTS. 

The  Currant  is  useful  both  for  dessert  and  for  preserv- 
ing purposes.  An  immense  weight  of  fruit  is  obtained 
for  the  space  it  occupies,  and  the  ease  of  its  culture 
makes  it  common  in  every  garden.  The  red  and  white 
varieties  may  be  planted  three  or  four  feet  apart  each 
way,  the  black  at  four  or  five  feet  apart.  Pruning  is 
done  in  the  fall  by  cutting  off  about  a  third  of  the  young 
growth  of  the  previous  summer,  and  thinning  out  old 
shoots  when  the  plants  get  too  thick.  All  are  trained  in 
low  bush  form,  the  whites  and  reds  usually  from  three  to 
four  feet  high  and  wide,  and  the  black  four  to  six  feet. 
They  can  also  be  grown  trained  against  fences  or  walls 
like  grape  vines,  and  will,  in  such  positions,  attain  eight  or 
ten  feet  in  hight  in  five  or  six  years  from  the  time  of 
planting,  if  the  soil  is  deep  and  rich.  Grown  in  this  way, 
if  care  is  taken  in  training,  the  fruit  is  larger,  and  when 
ripe,  particularly  if  the  black,  white,  and  red  varieties 
are  placed  in  contrast,  they  form  very  attractive  orna- 
ments for  the  garden.  In  many  places,  where  the  area 
for  garden  operations  is  limited,  they  can  easily  be 
trained  against  the  fences. 

An  insect  known  as  the  currant  worm  is  often  very  de- 


CURRANTS.  281 


Fig.  99.— PAT'S  PROLIFIC.  Fig.  100.— BLACK  CHAMPION. 


?,82  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

strujtivc.  On  its  first  appearance,  if  confined  to  a  few 
leaves,  these  should  be  cut  off,  shoot  and  all,  and  de- 
stroyed. If  they  threaten  to  be  troublesome,  powdered 
White  Hellebore  or  Persian  Insect  Powder,  either  dusted 
on  or  mixed  four  ounces  to  a  pailful  of  water  and  applied 
with  a  syringe,  will  destroy  them  at  once.  Of  course 
these  poisonous  remedies  can  only  be  used  before  the  fruit 
is  ripe. 

Fay's  Prolific. — Color  reddish  amber;  berries  and  bunch 
large;  flavor  excellent.  Au  abundant  bearer,  and  a  most 
beautiful  and  desirable  fruit  for  dessert.  (Figure  99.) 

Black  Naples. — This  is  the  favorite  black  variety,  and 
is  used  almost  exclusively  for  jams  and  jellies.  The 
black  varieties  are  much  less  grown  here  than  in  Europe, 
but  the  taste  for  them  is  increasing. 

Blade  Champion. — An  improved  variety  of  Black  Cur- 
rant, with  dense  clusters,  very  prolific,  and  decidedly 
superior  in  flavor  to  the  preceding.  The  bunches,  how- 
ever, are  hardly  so  large.  (Figure  100.) 

IV /lite  Grape. — Berries  large,  of  a  yellowish-white 
color.  The  flavor  of  this  variety  is  less  acid  than  any 
other.  Excellent  for  dessert. 

Cherry. — Berries  larger  than  that  of  any  other  sort, 
but  too  acid  for  most  tastes,  and  only  suitable  for  jelly. 

GOOSEBERRY. 

The  Gooseberry  is  a  fruit  better  suited  for  the  climate 
of  Great  Britain  than  for  ours,  and  it  is  rarely  seen  here 
in  the  perfection  it  attains  there.  It  ripens  just  when 
our  hottest  weather  occurs,  forcing  it  unnaturally  to 
maturity,  and  hence  the  absence  of  the  size  and  flavor 
it  attains  when  ripened  at  a  lower  temperature.  The 
native  varieties,  though  far  inferior  in  size  and  quality, 
are  usually  more  free  from  mildew,  and  are  therefore 
most  desirable  for  cultivation  here,  as  the  fruit  with  us 
is  more  used  in  the  green  than  in  the  ripe  state.  Goose- 


GOOSEBERIIY. 


berries  are  planted  from  three  to  four  feet  apart,  and  are 
treated  in  all  other  respects  like  Currant  bushes. 

Industry.— A.  European  variety  that  proves  admirably 


adapted  to  our  climate.  It  is  comparatively  new.  In 
size  and  flavor  it  is  equal  to  many  of  the  finest  English 
sorts.  Color  a  dark  red.  The  cut  (figure  101)  is  an  ex- 
cellent representation  of  its  average  size. 


284  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

Downing. — A  native  variety  of  medium  size,  greenish- 
white  when  ripe,  and  of  excellent  quality. 

Houghton's  Seedling. — Also  a  native  variety.  Size 
'medium,  color  red,  flavor  average. 

Of  the  foreign  varieties  among  Reds  may  be  named  as 
leading  sorts,  Warrington,  Champion,  Waterloo ;  of 
Greens,  Green  Globe,  Melville,  Green  Gage ;  of  Yellows, 
Sulphur,  Champagne,  Golden  Drop  ;  of  Whites,  Crystal, 
Whitesmith,  Dutch. 

There  are  a  number  of  English  and  Scotch  mechanics 
employed  at  the  mills  in  Paterson,  N.  J.,  who  make  a 
specialty  of  growing  English  Gooseberries  in  their  cottage 
gardens,  and  hold  yearly  exhibitions  for  prizes  for  the 
best  specimens.  By  the  following  method  they  have 
attained  nearly  as  good  success  as  is  met  with  in  Eng- 
land. The  soil  (which  is  naturally  a  good  strong  loam, 
and  one  foot  or  more  in  depth)  is  trenched  to  a  depth  of 
fifteen  or  eighteen  inches,  and  mixed  with  the  subsoil, 
which  is  partly  sand  and  partly  clay.  Through  this  soil 
is  incorporated  three  inches  of  well-rotted  cow  dung. 
The  Gooseberry  plants,  which  are  all  imported  from  Eng- 
land, are  planted  about  three  and  a  half  feet  each  way  ; 
and  as  soon  as  the  hot  and  dry  weather  begins  (usually 
about  the  middle  of  June),  a  heavy  mulching,  three  or 
four  inches  deep,  of  well-rotted  horse  or  cow  dung  is 
spread  over  the  whole  surface.  This  keeps  the  roots  cool 
and  moist,  the  necessary  conditions  for  the  perfection  of 
this  fruit. 


The  Fig,  on  account  of  not  being  hardy  in  the  North- 
ern States,  is  but  little  cultivated,  unless  in  tubs,  which 
are  placed  in  cellars  or  sheds  to  protect  them  during  the 
winter  months,  or  occasionally  on  the  back  wall  of  lean- 
to  graperies  ;  but  in  all  parts  of  the  country  where  the 


QUINCE.  285 

thermometer  does  not  get  lower  than  twenty  degrees 
above  zero,  they  can  be  grown  freely  in  the  open  air 
without  protection.  It  is  hardly  ever  necessary  to  prune 
the  Fig,  except  to  regulate  its  shape  by  cutting  back  any 
extra  strong  shoots.  In  sections  of  the  country  such  as 
Maryland,  West  Virginia,  or  Delaware,  where  it  may 
require  slight  protection  when  grown  in  the  open  air,  it 
should  be  planted  against  a  wall  or  fence,  and  trained 
against  it.  On  the  approach  of  cold  weather  it  should 
be  laid  down  and  covered  as  recommended  f9r  hardy 
grapes.  When  grown  in  tubs  to  be  kept  in  cellars, 
sheds,  or  greenhouse  pits,  they  should  be  placed  under 
cover  in  this  latitude  early  in  November,  kept  as  dry  as 
possible  without  shrivelling,  and  set  out  in  the  open  air 
again  in  May.  The  soil  and  general  treatment  for  plants 
grown  in  the  open  air  in  pots  or  tubs  will  be  suitable  for 
them.  There  are  numerous  sorts  in  cultivation,  from 
which  we  select  the  following  : 

White  Genoa. — Large,  roundish,  yellow  skin  ;  flesh 
reddish  pink,  excellent  flavor. 

Brown  Turkey. — Pear  shaped,  average  size,  brown 
skin ;  flesh  red,  rich  flavor. 

Early  Violet. — Skin  brownish-red  ;  flesh  reddish-crim- 
son, delicious  flavor  ;  fruit  rather  small.  One  of  the 
hardiest. 

Brown  Ischia. — Size  large,  skin  yellowish-brown  ;  flesh 
violet,  sweet  and  luscious.  Very  prolific. 

QUINCE. 

A  few  Quince  trees  should  be  planted  in  every  garden 
where  there  is  any  pretension  to  a  collection  of  fruits.  It 
is  a  tree  requiring  but  little  attention,  and  for  that  reason 
is  often  neglected,  and  very  unsightly  specimens  are  seen. 
The  tree  is  very  ornamental  in  flower  and  fruit ;  and  by 


286  GARDENING   FOK    PLEASURE. 

a  little  attention  to  pruning,  a  handsome  head  may  be 
formed,  though  equally  luxuriant  crops  are  seen  on  trees 
that  have  been  untouched  for  years.  They  may  be 
planted  eight  or  ten  feet  apart.  The  following  varieties 
are  in  most  general  use. 

Apple-shaped  or  Orange. — A  large  round  variety, 
bright  golden-yellow. 

Pear-shaped. — Color  greenish-yellow,  and  its  shape 
being  more  pear-like,  readily  distinguishes  it  from  the 
other  and  better  variety. 

Rea's  Seedling. — This  variety  is  the  largest  and  finest 
of  all. 

CHERRY. 

The  Cherry-tree  begins  to  bear  usually  in  two  or  three 
years  after  planting  trees  of  the  size  sold  at  the  nurseries, 
and  continues  to  enlarge  in  growth  and  productiveness 
annually,  until  it  often  attains  a  larger  size  than  most  of 
our  fruit-trees.  The  Cherry  grows  freely  in  almost  any 
soil  that  is  free  from  moisture,  preferring,  however,  like 
most  other  fruits,  a  deep  loamy  soil.  The  tree  may  be 
trained  as  desired,  either  in  pyramidal  form  or  with  a 
round  top,  by  pruning  and  directing  the  shoots.  The 
distance  apart  may  be  ten  or  twelve  feet.  Varieties : 

Blade  Tartarian. — Deep  purplish-black,  very  large  ; 
fine  solid  flesh.  Season  last  of  June.  This  variety  has 
been  in  cultivation  for  over  fifty  years,  and  yet  stands 
unequaled  in  quality.  (Figure  102.) 

Rockport. — Very  large,  amber-yellow,  dotted  red  ;  flesh 
firm,  sweet,  and  excellent.  Ripens  in  June.. 

Coe's  Transparent. — Color  pale  amber-yellow,  spotted 
with  pink  ;  flesh  tender,  sweet,  and  of  fine  flavor.  Ripens 
middle  of  June. 

May  Duke. — Color  dark  red,  size  medium,  quality  ex- 
cellent. Ripens  early  in  June. 


PLUM  287 

Morello. — A  sub-acid  variety  of  medium  size,   color 
bright  red,  changing  to  darker  color  when  fully  ripe. 


Fig.    102. — BLACK   TARTARIAN    CHERRY. 

Hangs  long  on  the  tree,  and  is  mainly  used  for  pies  and 
preserving. 

PLUM, 

The  cultivation  of  the  Plum  is  rendered  nearly  useless 
in  most  places  by  the  attacks  of  the  Curculio,  or  Plum 
Weevil.  An  almost  certain  remedy  is  to  use  a  teaspoon- 
ful  of  London  Purple  or  Paris  Green  to  six  gallons  of 


288  GARDENING    FOK   PLEASURE. 

water,  syringed  on  the  trees  every  other  day  for  fifteen 
days,  beginning  the  operation  as  the  flower  begins  to 
drop,  as  it  is  just  when  the  fruit  is  forming  that  the  in- 
sect deposits  its  egg.  No  danger  need  be  apprehended 
from  the  small  quantity  of  the  poison  used,  as  it  will  bo 
all  washed  from  the  fruit  long  before  it  ripens.  Another 
remedy,  which  will  effectually  save  a  crop  in  the  districts 
infested  by  this  insect,  is  to  jar  the  tree  in  the  morning 
or  in  cool  days,  first  spreading  sheets  under  the  trees  to 
catch  the  weevils,  after  which  they  may  be  burned.  If 
this  is  begun  as  soon  as  the  Plums  are  formed,  and  per- 
sisted in  every  few  days  until  they  are  ripe,  a  large  share 
of  the  crop  may  be  saved.  This  may  be  thought  to  be 
paying  rather  dear  for  a  crop  of  Plums,  but  it  is  really 
the  only  way  it  can  be  secured.  Many  years  ago  the  crop 
of  a  Plum  orchard  under  my  charge,  numbering  over  a 
hundred  large  trees,  was  saved  by  this  process,  while  all 
other  Plums  in  the  district,  where  the  jarring  of  the  trees 
was  not  resorted  to,  were  completely  destroyed.  This 
plan  was  recommended  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  and  no 
other  practicable  method  has  been  presented  until  the 
recent  use  of  Paris  Green,  applied  as  already  described. 
It  has  been  recommended  by  some  to  plant  the  trees  on 
the  bank  of  a  pond  or  running  stream,  and  train  them  to 
overhang  the  water ;  also  to  pave  or  cement  around  the 
roots,  so  that  the  insect  cannot  burrow;  but  these  plans 
would  be  often  impossible,  and  are  practically  useless  in 
general  culture.  Trees  upon  stiff,  clayey  soils  are  more 
exempt  from  the  ravages  of  the  Curculio  than  those  upon 
light  ones,  probably  for  the  reason  that  the  insect  in  the 
grub  or  larvae  state  cannot  penetrate  them  so  readily,  as 
they  must  enter  the  ground  to  become  perfect  insects. 
The  average  distance  at  which  the  Plum  may  be  planted 
is  from  ten  to  twelve  feet.  The  following  are  distinct 
and  fine  sorts. 

Smith's    Orleans. — Color   purple,    with    a   rich  blue 


JAPANESE    PERSIMMON.  289 

bloom  ;  size  medium ;  flesh  deep  yellow;  flavor  of  first 
quality  ;  clingstone.  Eipens  in  August. 

Washington. — Color  yellow,  marbled  with  red  next  the 
sun ;  large  size ;  flesh  firm,  sweet,  and  rich ;  freestone. 
Eipens  first  of  September. 

Green  Gage. — A  well-known  variety,  rather  small  in 
size,  but  of  exquisite  flavor.  Color  greenish-yellow, 
spotted  with  red  on  the  sunny  side  ;  freestone.  Kipens 
early  in  August. 

Imperial  Gage. — Of  large  size,  and  similar  in  flavor  to 
the  Green  Gage.  Color  yellowish-green. 

Columbia. — Of  the  largest  size;  color  brownish-purple; 
flesh  yellow,  sweet,  and  finely  flavored  ;  freestone.  Eipens 
the  last  of  August. 

Coe's  Golden  Drop. — A  very  old  and  well-known  sort. 
Color  golden  yellow  with  red  spots  next  the  sun  ;  large, 
oval ;  rich,  sweet,  yellow  fleshed.  Eipens  the  middle  of 
September. 

Magnum  Bonum. — Yellowish  white,  egg-shaped,  of 
large  size  and  having  a  rich  spicy  flavor. 

JAPANESE   PERSIMMON. 

An  entirely  distinct  species  from  the  American  Persim- 
mon, and  is  likely  to  become  a  valuable  addition  to  fruits 
in  the  Southern  States,  but  the  Southern  States  only,  as 
repeated  trials  have  shown  that  it  is  not  likely  to  prove 
hardy  in  any  part  of  the  country  where  the  thermometer 
falls  lower  than  fifteen  degrees  above  zero.  It  has  al- 
ready been  grown,  to  some  extent,  in  Florida  and  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  fruit  from  Florida  is  now  finding  its  way 
into  our  Northern  markets,  and  at  this  time  brings  the 
very  high  price  of  twenty-five  cents  each,  while  oranges 
from  the  same  section  hardly  bring  one-sixth  of  that 
price. 


290  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

The  culture  is  very  similar  to  that  for  the  Orange,  ex- 
cept that  the  Japan  Persimmon,  like  its  American  rela- 
tive, is  deciduous  ;  that  is,  it  drops  its  leaves  in  the 
winter  months.  The  fruit  in  taste  is  somewhat  be- 
tween a  Fig  and  an  Apricot,  and  when  fully  ripe  is  de- 
licious. It  has  been  long  grown  in  Japan,  where  the 
varieties  are  quite  as  numerous  as  Plums  are  with  us.  In 
size  and  coloring  some  kinds  resemble  a  red  tomato, 


Fig.  103. — JAPAN  PEBSIMMON  (From  a  Photograph). 

though  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  various  kinds, 
both  in  shape  and  color.  Figure  103  shows  a  variety  of 
medium  size. 


PEACH. 


The  Peach  prefers  the  light,  dry,  and  warm  soils 
known  as  sandy  loams.  The  tree  is  short-lived  in  most 
sections,  and  attains  its  best  fruiting  condition  usually 
when  from  five  to  nine  years  old.  The  tree  is  greatly 
benefited  by  pruning.  The  growth  of  the  previous  sea- 


PEACH.  291 

son  should  be  shortened  about  one-third.  This,  if  an- 
nually followed  from  the  time  the  trees  are  set,  will  give 
them  compact  heads  instead  of  open,  straggling  ones,  the 
branches  of  which  will  break  down  with  the  first  full 
crop  of  fruit.  In  the  Peach-growing  districts  the  culti- 
vators do  not  expect  more  than  three  crops  in  five  years  ; 
and  if  they  get  two  full  crops  in  that  time  they  are  con- 
tent, and  amateurs  should  expect  no  more.  When  a  crop 
sets  at  all  there  is  usually  more  fruit  than  the  tree  can 
carry  and  ripen.  No  fruit  needs  severe  thinning  more 
than  the  Peach.  In  bearing  seasons  half  or  two-thirds 
of  the  Peaches  which  set  may  be  removed  with  benefit  to 
the  rest.  The  fruit  should  be  removed  when  about  the  size 
of  hazel  nuts.  When  a  tree  appears  sickly  with  yellow 
foliage,  dig  it  up  at  once.  The  distance  the  trees  should 
be  set  apart  may  be  from  ten  to  twelve  feet.  Among  the 
favorite  varieties  for  garden  culture  may  be  named  the 
following: 

Bale's  Early. — A  very  early  Peach,  of  fair  size  and 
great  beauty,  but  has  the  fault  that  it  in  some  localities 
rots  just  as  it  begins  to  ripen,  a  difficulty  probably  due  to 
overbearing  rather  than  to  locality.  Freestone,  excellent. 

Columbia. — Large,  round,  color  yellow  and  red,  streaked 
with  dark  crimson  ;  flesh  yellow,  rich,  and  juicy  ;  flavor 
excellent.  Freestone  ;  ripens  in  September. 

Crawford's  Early. — Large,  roundish,  color  yellow, 
tinged  with  red ;  flesh  yellow,  rich,  and  sweet.  Kipens 
last  of  August ;  freestone. 

Crawford's  Late. — Similar  in  appearance,  but  ripening 
three  weeks  later. 

Cooledge's  Favorite. — Size  medium,  roundish  oval, 
color  clear  white  with  crimson  cheek  ;  flesh  rich,  juicy, 
and  of  first  quality.  Kipens  in  August ;  freestone. 

Honest  John,  or  Early  York. — Large,  roundish,  white 


292  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

with  red  cheek  ;  flesh  white,  very  juicy,  excellent  flavor. 
Ripens  the  middle  of  August ;  freestone. 

Morris  White. — A  well-known  variety,  size  medium, 
color  greenish- white,  flavor  average.  The  variety  mostly 
used  for  preserving.  Ripens  the  middle  of  September ; 
freestone. 

Red  Cheek  Melocoton. — Fruit  large,  yellow,  with  dark 
red  cheek;  flesh  orange-yellow,  flavor  excellent.  Ripens 
the  middle  of  September  ;  freestone. 

NECTARINES. 

Nectarines  are  only  smooth-skinned  Peaches,  requiring 
in  all  respects  similar  treatment  to  the  Peach.  They  are 
but  little  grown  in  this  country,  as  they  are  even  more 
liable  than  the  Plum  itself  to  injury  by  the  attacks  of 
the  Plum  Curculio.  The  same  treatment  recommended 
for  its  destruction  in  Plums  must  be  applied  to  the 
Nectarine.  There  is  a  peculiarity  in  the  flavor  of  some 
varieties  of  Nectarines  differing  from  that  of  any  of  the 
Peaches,  and  by  some  they  are  greatly  preferred  to  any 
Peach  in  flavor.  The  varieties  are  not  numerous. 

Early  Newingion. — Large,  roundish  oval,  greenish- 
yellow,  mottled  red ;  flesh  yellowish-white,,  Ripens  in 
September ;  cling. 

Hunt's  Tawny. — Large,  round,  amber-yellow  with  red 
cheek ;  flesh  orange,  melting,  flavor  excellent.  Ripens 
in  August ;  freestone. 

Boston. — Large,  oval,  yellow,  with  mottled  crimson 
cheek ;  flesh  yellow,  quality  excellent.  Ripens  in  Sep- 
tember ;  freestone. 

APRICOT. 

The  Apricot  is  closely  related  to  the  Plum,  but  belongs 
to  another  species.  It  is  a  delicious  fruit,  and  in  cold 
latitudes  succeeds  best  grown  against  a  fence  or  the  sid« 


APPLE.  293 

of  a  house.  The  blighting  Curculio  attacks  the  Apricot 
also,  and  its  culture  can  only  be  successful  by  combating 
the  difficulties  that  attend  that  of  the  Plum,  unless  in 
special  locations  that  seem  few  and  far  between.  It  is 
now  grown  to  a  large  extent  in  California,  where  it  is 
preserved  by  canning  in  immense  quantities.  The  fol- 
lowing are  good  varieties  : 

Moor  park. — Size  large  as  an  average  Peach,  yellow 
with  red  cheek ;  flesh  orange,  sweet,  and  of  exquisite 
flavor.  Ripens  in  July. 

Orange. — Pale  yellow  with  red  cheek,  size  medium. 
Ripens  end  of  July. 

Turkey. — Large,  deep  yellow,  shaded  orange ;  flesh 
pale  yellow,  firm,  rich,  and  sweet.  Ripens  in  August. 

APPLE. 

The  Apple  can  only  be  grown  in  small  gardens  as  a 
dwarf,  either  kept  in  a  bush  form  or  trained  as  a  pyramid 
or  other  shape.  The  dwarf  trees  are  made  so  by  grafting 
on  dwarfing  stocks,  while  the  varieties  are  the  same  as 
those  found  in  the  large  trees  of  the  orchard.  Two  sorts 
of  dwarfing  stocks  are  used  by  nurserymen,  the  Doucin 
and  the  Paradise.  Trees  upon  the  Doucin  will  ultimately 
grow  quite  large ;  and  as  the  Paradise  is  the  only  stock 
which  makes  really  dwarf  trees,  the  amateur  who  wishes 
to  grow  dwarf  apple-trees  should  make  sure  that  they  are 
worked  on  Paradise  stocks.  Of  course,  trees  of  this  kind 
are  not  advised  as  a  source  of  profit ;  but  there  can 
scarcely  be  a  handsomer  object  in  the  garden  than  a  bush 
six  feet  high,  and  about  the  same  through,  loaded  with 
enormous  apples.  Dwarf  apple-trees  may  be  planted  six 
feet  apart  each  way,  while  ordinary  trees  in  the  orchard 
are  given  fifteen  to  thirty  feet,  or  even  forty  feet.  The 
following  sorts  are  recommended  for  garden  culture. 


29-t  GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

(For   descriptions,  see  nursery  cataloguer,.)      Baldwin, 
Gravenstein,  Khode  Island  Greening,  King  of  Tompkina 


Fig.    104.— FALL  PIPPIN  APPLE. 

County,  Maiden's  Blush,  Esopus  Spitzenberg,  Early  Har- 
vest, Northern  Spy,  Porter,  and  Fall  Pippin  (figure  104). 

PEARS. 

Like  Apples,  Pears  are  grown  as  dwarfs  and  standards; 
the  former  being  planted  from  eight  to  ten  feet  apart,  the 
latter  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet.  The  dwarfs,  budded  on 
the  quince  stock,  are  mostly  used  for  garden  culture,  as, 
from  their  habit,  they  are  more  suitable,  besides  having 
the  invaluable  quality  of  coming  quicker  into  bearing. 
Time  was  when  the  adage  went,  "He  that  plants  Pears, 


PEARS. 


295 


plants  for  his  heirs;"  but  this  is  now  no  more  applicable 
to  the  Pear  than  to  the  Peach  ;  for  we  can  have  fine 
crops  of  Pears  budded  on  the  Quince  in  three  to  five  years 
from  the  time  of  planting.  The  trees  may  be  grown  as 
pyramids  (as  in  figure  105),  or  in  the  bush  form ;  or,  in 
small  gardens,  Pear,  Peach,  and  other  trees  can  be  suc- 


103. — KEIFFER  PEAK. 


cessfully  trained  in  what  is  called  the  oblique  cordon, 
which  allows  a  number  of  varieties  to  be  grown  in  a 
small  space.  Only  a  general  outline  of  the  method  can 
be  given  here,  referring  for  fuller  details  to  Barry's  and 


296 


GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 


other  works  on  fruit  culture.  A  trellis  is  built  about 
eight  feet  high,  bv  nailing  a  strong  top  and  bottom  rail 
to  posts,  which  should  be  about  eight  feet  apart.  Slats 
of  inch  stuff  are  put  on  between  the  two  rails  at  an 
angle  of  thirty  degrees.  These  are  fastened  on  with 
screws,  as,  when  the  trees  have  reached  the  top,  the  slats 
are  to  be  brought  down  to  forty-five  degrees  ;  and  they 
should  be  long  enough  to  allow  for  doing  this.  Young 
trees  are  set  in  an  inclined  position  in  a  line  with  these 
slats,  which  are  three  feet  apart.  Each  tree  is  cut  back 
to  a  few  buds,  and  one  shoot  allowed  to  grow  from  the 


Fig.   106.— COBDON-TRAINING   OF   PEAB   TREES. 

strongest  bud,  all  the  others  being  removed.  This  shoot, 
as  it  grows,  is  kept  tied  to  the  slat,  and  when  it  throws 
out  side  shoots,  as  it  soon  will,  they  are  pinched  back  to 
three  or  four  leaves,  whenever  the  shoot  is  sufficiently 
developed  to  allow  the  number  of  the  leaves  to  be  seen. 
By  growing  in  this  inclined  position,  and  by  pinching 
every  shoot  back  to  three  or  four  leaves,  the  tree  is 
dwarfed  and  made  to  bear  early,  and,  when  properly 
managed,  forms  a  perfect  cordon  or  garland,  with  fruit 


PEARS. 


297 


Fig.  107.— BABTLETT  PEAK. 


298  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

along  its  whole  length.     Figure  106  shows  a  portion  of  a 
trellis  of  this  kind. 

The  following  varieties  are  recommended  for  either 
kind  of  training.  (For  descriptions,  see  nursery  cata- 
logues.) Beurre  d'Anjou,  Seckel,  Beurre  Bosc,  Sheldon, 
Summer  Doyenne,  Winter  Nelis,  Duchesse  d'Angouleme, 
Doyenne  Boussock,  Lawrence,  Howell,  Belle  Lucrative, 
Louise  Bonne  de  Jersey,  and  Bartlett  (figure  1 07).  Beurre 
Bosc,  Sheldon,  and  Winter  Nelis  on  Quince  stock  should 
be  double  worked. 


VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 


COTTAGE   GARDENING — A   DIGRESSION.  301 

CHAPTER    XLV. 
COTTAGE   GARDENING— A    DIGRESSION. 

BEFORE  taking  up  the  subject  of  vegetable  culture,  I 
tvill  relate  an  incident  connected  with,  cottage  gardening 
that  may  interest,  if  it  does  not  benefit,  some  of  those  into 
tarhose  hands  this  book  may  fall.  About  twenty  years  ago 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  a  gen- 
tleman whose  duties  compelled  him  to  be  at  his  desk  in  a 
close  office  in  the  city  of  New  York,  from  nine  o'clock 
A.M.  to  four  P.M.  Being  naturally  of  a  weak  constitution, 
his  sedentary  life  soon  made  him  the  victim  of  dyspepsy 
to  such  a  degree  that  he  felt  that  he  must  soon  resign  his 
situation.  He  was  then  a  man  of  forty,  entirely  ignorant 
of  anything  pertaining  to  country  life,  and  it  was  with 
great  misgivings  and  reluctance  that,  by  the  advice  of 
his  physician,  he  changed  his  home  from  a  closely  built 
part  of  New  York  to  a  cottage  in  the  then  country-like 
suburb  of  Jersey  City  Heights,  N.  J.  His  means  enabled 
him  to  purchase  a  modest  cottage  built  on  a  lot  fifty  by 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  He  did  not  want  the  land, 
he  said,  but  the  cottage  was  such  as  he  fancied,  and  the 
ground  had  to  go  with  it.  It  was  about  this  time  that  I 
formed  his  acquaintance,  through  some  business  transac- 
tion, and  he  asked  my  professional  advice  as  to  what  he 
could  do  with  his  land,  which  he  had  already  begun  to 
consider  somewhat  of  an  encumbrance.  I  replied  to  him 
that,  if  I  was  not  greatly  mistaken,  in  his  little  plot  of 
ground  lay  a  cure  for  all  his  bodily  ills,  and  that,  besides, 
it  could  add  to  the  comforts  if  not  the  luxuries  of  his 
table  if  he  would  only  work  it.  "I  work  it!"  he  ex- 
claimed. "You  don't  suppose  that  these  hands  could 
dig  or  delve,"  holding  up  his  thin  and  bloodless  fingers; 
"  and  if  they  could,  I  know  nothing  about  gardening." 


302  GARDENING  FOR   PLEASURE. 

I  told  him  I  thought  neither  objection  insurmountable, 
if  he  once  began. 

The  result  of  our  conversation  was,  that  he  resolved  to 
try,  and  try  he  did  to  a  purpose.  Our  interview  was  in 
March,  and  before  the  end  of  April  he  had  his  lot  all 
nicely  dug  over,  the  labor  being  done  by  his  own  hands 
during  an  hour  and  a  half  each  morning.  His  custom 
was  to  get  up  at  six  o'clock,  and  work  at  his  garden  until 
half  past  seven.  This  gave  him  ample  time  to  dress,  get 
breakfast,  and  be  at  his  desk  in  the  city  by  nine.  The 
labor  of  merely  digging  was  (to  him)  heavy  and  rather 
monotonous ;  but  he  stuck  to  it  bravely,  and  when  he 
again  presented  himself  before  me  for  plants  and  seeds, 
and  information  as  to  what  to  do  with  them,  it  was  with 
some  pride  that  I  saw  my  prescription  had  worked  so 
well,  for  my  friend  then  looked  more  like  a  farmer  than 
a  pallid  clerk.  The  regulating  of  his  little  garden  was  a 
simple  matter,  and  was  done  according  to  the  following 
diagram  : 


Cauliflower,  Cabbage,  and  Lettuce. 

Strawberries. 

Cucumbers,  Onions,  and  Parsley. 

Raspberries. 

Beets,  Carrots,  and  Parsnips. 

Tomatoes. 

Peas  and  Bush  Beans. 

Asparagus  and  Rhubarb. 

During  his  first  season,  of  course,  he  made  some  blun- 
ders and  some  failures,  but  his  interest  in  the  work  in- 
creased year  by  year.  His  family  was  supplied  with  an 
abundance  of  all  the  fresh  vegetables  and  fruits  his  lim- 
ited space  could  admit  of  being  grown;  a  supply  that  it 
would  have  taken  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
to  purchase  at  retail,  and  stale  at  that.  But  the  benefit 
derived  from  the  cultivation  of  this  cottage  garden  was 


THE   VEGETABLE   GARDEN.  303 

health — strong,  rugged  health — that,  for  the  six  years  he 
was  my  neighbor,  never  once  failed  him. 

I  know  this  case  is  an  extremely  exceptional  one,  for  I 
never  knew  another  man  who  so  resolutely  worked  him- 
self into  health.  There  are  hundreds  of  business  men, 
book-keepers,  salesmen,  clerks,  and  the  like,  who  live  in 
the  suburbs  of  all  great  cities,  many  of  whom  can  ill 
afford  to  pay  for  the  keeping  of  the  plots  surrounding 
their  cottages,  but  who  think  they  can  far  less  afford  to 
do  the  work  themselves.  As  a  consequence,  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten,  the  rear,  at  least,  of  their  suburban  plots  is  a 
wilderness  of  weeds.  But  this  is  not  the  least  of  the 
evils.  The  owner  has  a  certain  amount  of  muscular  force, 
and  this,  be  it  more  or  less,  being  unused,  its  possessor 
pays  the  penalty  of  his  laziness  in  dyspepsy  and  a  host 
of  other  ills.  The  proofs  are  apparent  everywhere  that 
garden  operations  are  conducive  to  health  and  longevity. 
The  work  is  not  unduly  laborious,  and  when  fairly  en- 
tere.d  into  has  a  never-failing  interest.  The  growing  and 
the  watching  of  the  great  variety  of  plants  give  a  healthy 
tone  to  the  mind,  while  the  physical  labor  demanded  by 
cultivation  takes  care  of  the  body. 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 
THE   VEGETABLE    GARDEN. 

IT  is  perhaps  best  that  the  space  allotted  to  vegetables 
should  be  at  one  side  of  the  garden,  and  that  for  fruits 
at  the  other,  at  least  in  the  beginning,  though  a  rotation 
of  crops  or  change  of  position  may  be  advantageous  in 
course  of  time.  Figure  108  gives  a  convenient  plan  for 
the  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Garden.  I  will  give  in  brief  the 


304 


GARDENING   FOR  PLEASUBE. 


culture  of  each  vegetable  in  general  use,  placing  them 
alphabetically  for  easy  reference,  and  enumerate  the  lead- 
ing varieties. 

ASPARAGUS  (Asparagus  offlcinalis). 

Asparagus  should  be  planted  the  first  spring  that 
the  owner  comes  into  possession  of  the  land.  In  the 
latitude  of  New  York  any  time  from  April  1st  to  May 


ASPARAGUS.  305 

loth  ;  and  if  the  house  is  yet  to  be  builb,  let  the  Aspara- 
gus bed  be  planted  at  once,  as  it  takes  the  roots  two  or 
three  years  to  acquire  sufficient  strength  to  give  a  crop. 
For  an  ordinary  family  a  bed  of  six  rows  of  fifty  or 
sixty  feet  in  length,  and  three  feet  apart,  will  be  suf- 
ficient, the  plants  in  the  rows  being  set  nine  inches 
apart.  In  planting  it  is  customary  to  use  two-year-old 
plants ;  but  it  often  happens  that  as  large  a  plant 
is  raised  from  seed  in  good  soil  in  one  year  as  in  a 


Fig.    109. — ASPARAGUS. 

poorer  soil  in  two  years.     In  such  cases  the  one-year- 
old  plant  is  preferable. 

The  preparation  of  the  Asparagus  bed  should  be  made 
with  more  care  than  for  most  vegetables,  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  permanent  crop,  which  ought  to  yield  as  well 
at  the  end  of  twenty-five  as  of  five  years,  if  the  soil  has 
been  well  prepared.  The  Asparagus  bed,  to  start  with, 
should  be  on  ground  thoroughly  drained,  either  naturally 
or  artificially,  and  if  choice  can  be  had,  on  a  rather  light, 


306 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


sandy  loam.  This  should  be 
trenched  and  mixed  with  suf- 
ficient manure  to  form  aooat- 
ing  at  least  six  inches  thick 
over  the  bed.  This  manure 
should  be  worked  into  the 
soil  by  trenching  to  the  depth 
of  two  feet,  as  the  roots  of 
the  plant  will  reach  quite 
that  depth  in  a  few  years. 
In  setting,  the  crowns  of  the 
plants  should  be  placed  at 
least  three  inches  below  the 
surface.  Asparagus  may  be 
planted  either  in  the  spring 
or  the  fall.  If  in  the  spring, 
it  should  be  done  as  early  as 
the  ground  is  dry  enough  to 
work ;  and  if  in  the  fall,  just 
as  soon  as  the  plants  can  be 
had,  which  is  usually  in  the 
early  part  of  October.  We 
prefer  fall  planting  on  light, 
well-drained  soils,  for  the  rea- 
son that,  if  it  is  done  then, 
young  roots  are  formed  which 
are  ready  to  grow  on  the  ap- 
proach of  spring;  but  if  the 
planting  is  done  in  March, 
April,  or  May,  this  formation 
of  new  roots  has  to  take  place 
then  and  causes  a  correspond- 
ing delay  in  growth.  Plants 
are  sold  by  market  gardeners 
and  seedsmen;  and  as  it  will 
Fig.  no.— PALMETTO^ASPAEAGTJS.  save  a  year  or  two  to  pur- 


ARTICHOKE,     GLOBE.  307 

chase  them,  it  is  not  worth  while  to  raise  them  from 
seed  in  a  private  garden. 

The  edible  portion  is  the  undeveloped  stems,  which,  if 
cut  away  as  soon  as  they  appear,  are  followed  by  others, 
which  start  from  the  crown  of  the  plant.  The  cutting, 
if  continued  too  long,  would  finally  exhaust  the  root ; 
hence  it  is  customary  to  stop  cutting  as  soon  as  early 
peas  become  plenty,  and  allow  the  remaining  shoots  to 
grow  during  the  rest  of  the  season,  and  thus  accu- 
mulate sufficient  strength  in  the  plant  to  allow  it  to  pro- 
duce another  crop  of  shoots  the  next  season.  The  en- 
graving (figure  109)  represents  a  strong  plant  with  the 
earth  removed  from  the  roots.  The  shoots  aie  shown  in 
differont  stages  of  development,  and  it  will  be  seen  how 
readily  cureless  cutting  may  injure  the  buds  which  are 
ready  to  produce  a  succession  of  shoots. 

The  surface  of  the  Asparagus  bed  should  have  a  top- 
dressing  of  three  or  four  inches  of  rough  stable  manure 
every  fall  (November),  which  should  be  lightly  forked 
into  the  bed  in  the  spring.  The  variety  mostly  grown  is 
the  Colossal,  although  the  new  French  variety,  known  as 
the  Palmetto  (figure  110),  is  likely  to  supersede  it,  its 
merit  being  that  the  shoots  grow  more  uniformly  large 
than  the  Colossal. 

In  some  localities  Asparagus  is  attacked  by  an  insect 
called  the  Asparagus  Beetle.  The  best  method  of  getting 
rid  of  this  pest,  that  we  have  found,  is  to  coop  up  a  hen, 
and  let  the  chickens  eat  the  insects  and  their  eggs. 

AKTICHOKE,  GLOBE  (Cynara  Scdymus). 

The  portion  used  of  this  plant  is  the  undeveloped 
flower  cluster,  or  the  portion  which  is  known  as  the 
scales  of  the  involucre.  They  are  boiled  and  served  with 
drawn  butter ;  but  outside  of  France  they  do  not  seem  to 
be  very  generally  appreciated.  The  plants  are  propagated 


308  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

first  by  seeds,  sown  in  a  hot-bed  in  March,  and  planted 
out  at  distances  of  from  two  to  three  feet.  It  is  not 

always  hardy  enough  for 
our  winters  in  the  North- 
ern States,  though  it 
proves  so  in  all  latitudes 
south  of  Washington. 
Here  it  is  necessary,  on 
the  approach  of  winter, 
to  draw  the  leaves  togeth- 
er and  earth  up  around 
them,  and  later  to  cover 
the  tops  with  litter. 

ARTICHOKE,    JERUSALEM 

(Helianthus    tuberosus). 

This  is  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent plant  from  the  pre- 
ceding; but  as  the  two  are 
sometimes  confounded, 
we  give  engravings  of 
both.  The  edible  por- 

Fig.  111.--GLOBE  ABTICHOKE.  tjQn  Qf   thlS  IS  the    tuber, 

while  that  of  the  Globe  Artichoke  is  the  scales  surround- 
ing the  flowers.  The  tubers  of  the  Jerusalem  Artichoke 
somewhat  resemble  the  Potato  in  appearance,  and  the 


Fig.  112. — JERUSALEM  ARTICHOKE. 


plant  produces  immense  crops.  But  few  persons  in  this 
country  like  the  flavor,  and  it  is  rarely  grown  unless  for 
stock  or  as  a  curiosity.  Its  culture  is  similar  to  the 


BEAN.  309 

Potato.     It  has  stems,  leaves,  and  flowers  much  like  thfi 
common  annual  Sunflower,  to  which  family  it  belongs. 

BEAN  (Pfiaseolus  vulgaris  var.  nanus),  BUSH,  SNAP,  OR  KIDNEY. 

An  indispensable  vegetable,  of  easy  cultivation,  grow- 
ing freely  in  almost  any  soil,  though  in  well-enriched 
land  it  will  be  more  prolific  in  quantity  and  more  tender 
in  quality.  It  is  a  plant  of  tropical  origin,  and,  like  all 
such,  should  not  be  sown  until  the  weather  is  settled  and 
warm,  and  all  danger  from  frost  is  past.  In  this  latitude, 
the  time  of  sowing  should  not  be  sooner  than  the  fifth  of 
May.  Sow  at  intervals  of  two  or  three  weeks  all  through 
the  season,  if  wanted  for  use.  Seed  may  be  sown  in  drills 
eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches  apart,  and  three  inches 
deep,  dropping  the  seeds  at  distances  of  two  or  three 
inches  in  the  drills,  and  covering  to  the  general  level. 
For  such  as  use  them  all  through  the  season,  three  or 
four  quarts  would  be  required,  although  a  quart  at  one 
sowing  would  give  an  ample  quantity  for  any  average 
family.  The  varieties  most  in  use  at  present  are  Red 
Valentine,  Early  Mohawk,  Yellow  Six  Weeks,  Refugee, 
White  Marrowfat,  Black  Wax,  and  Golden  Wax. 

BEAN,  POLE  OR  RUNNING,  AND  LIMA  (Fliaseolus  lunatus). 

Pole  Beans  are  usually  cultivated  in  hills  three  or  four 
feet  apart.  The  poles  (which  are  best  made  of  young 
cedar  trees)  should  be  nine  or  ten  feet  high,  and  firmly 
fixed  at  least  eighteen  inches  deep  in  the  ground,  and  the 
hills  formed  around  them  by  digging  up  the  soil  and 
mixing  it  with  a  shovelful  of  well-rotted  manure,  or  an 
ounce  or  so  of  guano  or  bone-dust,  if  the  stable  manure 
is  not  attainable ;  but  in  either  case  let  the  mixing  be 
thorough.  The  hills  should  be  but  two  or  three  inches 
above  the  general  level,  and  at  least  eighteen  inches  in 


310  GARDENING   FOE   PLEASURE. 

diameter.  The  term  "  hill "  is  an  unfortunate  one,  as  it 
often  lends  inexperienced  persons  to  suppose  that  a  tall 
heap  must  be  made,  and  it  is  a  common  mistake  to  form 
miniature  hills  often  a  foot  or  more  in  hight,  upon  which 
to  sow  seeds  or  set  plants.  The  effect  of  this  is  to  confine 
the  roots  to  this  small,  high,  and  dry  space.  When  the 
word  "  hill "  is  used  in  this  work,  it  is  to  indicate  the 
place  plants  are  to  occupy,  and  unless  some  hight  is 
mentioned,  it  is  not  above  the  general  level.  After  the 
hill  has  been  properly  formed  around  the  pole,  from  five 
to  six  beans  should  be  planted  around  it  at  a  depth  of 
two  inches  ;  but  the  planting  should  never  be  done  in  this 
latitude  before  the  20th  of  May.  In  all  our  experience 
as  seedsmen,  we  know  of  no  seed  that  is  so  universally 
replanted  as  Lima  Beans.  I  think  it  safe  to  say,  that  at 
least  half  of  all  the  people  who  buy,  plant  before  the 
ground  is  dry  and  warm,  and  then  tell  us  that  the  seed 
must  have  been  bad,  because  it  rotted  in  the  ground.  In 
the  hurry  of  business  we  have  not  always  time  to  explain 
why  they  rotted,  and  would  here  state,  for  the  sake  of 
ourselves  and  cotemporaries,  that  the  reason  why  the 
Lixnas  fail  to  grow  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred 
is,  that  they  are  planted  too  early,  and  that  it  is  no  fault 
of  the  seed,  which  is  rarely  imperfect.  The  proper 
method  of  planting  Lima  Beans  is  to  push  each  one 
singly  into  the  soil,  from  one  to  two  inches  deep,  with  the 
eye  downward.  The  embryo  is  so  very  broad  and  flat 
that  it  is  difficult  for  it  to  turn  itself  as  smaller  seeds  do 
when  placed  in  a  wrong  position.  From  one  to  two 
quarts  are  used  for  an  ordinary  family. 

The  Large  White  Lima  is  the  variety  that  is  most 
prized. 

The  Jersey  Extra  Early  Lima  is  a  new  and  excellent 
variety,  nearly  a  week  earlier  than  the  Large  Lima, 
though  not  quite  so  large. 

The  Scarlet  Runner  is  a  highly  ornamental  variety, 


BEET — BORECOLE.  31] 

producing  dazzling  scarlet  flowers  during  the  whofc 
summer.  It  is  used  mainly  as  a  snap  bean.  Lima  Beans 
are  usually  planted  only  once  in  this  latitude,  as  they 
take  nearly  the  whole  season  to  mature. 

All  kinds  of  running  or  pole  beans  have  been  usually 
grown  on  poles  eight  or  ten  feet  long  ;  but  the  new  pea 
vine  trellis  (see  "Implements"),  introduced  in  1887,  is 
infinitely  better  and  far  more  convenient. 

BEET  (Beta  vulgaris), 

Sow  in  shallow  drills  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  apart 
in  April  or  May,  dropping  the  seeds  so  that  they  will  fall 
an  inch  or  so  apart.  When  the  plants  have  grown  to  the 
hight  of  about  two  inches,  thin  out,  so  that  they  will 
stand  four  inches  apart.  When  the  roots  are  three  inches 
in  diameter  they  are  fit  for  use.  Of  course  they  are  used 
when  much  larger,  but  the  younger  they  are,  the  more 
delicate  and  tender.  Four  ounces  of  each  kind  will  be 
sufficient  for  ordinary  family  use,  unless  successional 
crops  are  wanted,  when  double  the  quantity  may  be  used. 
The  kinds  most  used  are  Egyptian  Turnip,  Eclipse,  and 
Long  Smooth  Blood. 

BORECOLE  OR  KALE  (Brassica  oleracea  var.). 

The  rather  indefinite  name  of  " sprouts"  is  given  to 
this  vegetable  about  New  York.  It  is  sown  here  in  Sep- 
tember, in  rows  one  foot  apart,  treated  in  every  way  as 
Spinach,  and  is  ready  for  use  in  early  spring.  Four 
ounces  of  seed  are  sufficient  to  sow  three  hundred  feet  of 
row.  Two  varieties  of  this,  but  little  grown  here,  are 
the  Scotch  Kale,  or  Curled  Greens,  and  the  Dwarf 
German  Greens.  The  former  is  of  a  deep  green  color, 
the  latter  bluish  purple.  Both  varieties  are  much  curled, 
almost  like  Parsley.  The  seeds  of  these  are  sown  in 
May,  and  transplanted  in  July,  just  as  we  do  late  Cab- 


312  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

bages,  at  distances  of  two  feet  apart  each  way.  These 
"  Greens,"  of  either  variety,  when  touched  by  frost,  are 
the  most  tender  and  delicate  of  all  the  cabbage  tribe,  and 
it  has  always  been  a  matter  of  wonder  to  me  why  theii 
cultivation  has  not  been  more  general  in  this  country. 
In  Britain  they  are  used  very  extensively  as  a  winter 
vegetable.  The  most  popular  German  variety  is  Purple 
Borecole.  The  most  popular  English  variety  is  Cottager's 
Kale,  very  hardy  and  profitable,  more  weight  of  it  being 
grown  in  the  same  space  than  of  any  other  variety.  An 
ounce  of  each  kind  is  about  the  average  quantity  used. 

BROCCOLI  (Brassica  olcracea  var.). 

We  persist  in  growing  under  the  two  distinct  names  of 
Broccoli  and  Cauliflower,  plants  which  at  best  are  noth- 
ing more  than  very  nearly  related  varieties.  The  main 
difference  between  them  is,  that  what  we  call  Broccoli  is 
planted  for  fall  use,  while  that  which  we  call  Cauliflower 
is  planted  for  spring  or  summer  use ;  though  in  this 
respect  they  are  frequently  reversed  without  seeming  to 
mind  it.  For  fall  use  a  packet  of  seed  should  be  sown  in 
the  early  part  of  May,  which  will  give  plants  large  enough 
to  be  set  out  in  July.  Further  south  the  sowing  of  the 
seed  should  be  delayed  from  four  to  six  weeks  later,  and 
the  plants  be  set  out  correspondingly  later.  Here  we  put 
them  out  in  July,  though  further  south  it  may  be  de- 
layed to  August  or  September.  In  the  mild  autumn 
weather  of  those  latitudes  this  vegetable  may  be  had  in 
perfection  from  November  to  March,  while  with  us,  if 
planted  out  in  July  it  matures  during  October  and 
November.  The  plants  are  set  at  two  and  a  half  to  three 
feet  apart,  and  as  a  hundred  plants  are  all  that  most 
families  would  use,  it  is  usually  cheaper  to  buy  them,  if 
in  a  section  where  they  are  sold,  than  to  raise  the  plants 
'rom  seed.  Broccoli  requires  an  abundance  of  manure. 
The  varieties  are — 


BRUSSELS   SPROUTS.  313 

White  and  Purple  Cape. — There  is  no  difference  in 
flavor,  though  the  white  is  the  most  pleasant  looking 
vegetable  when  cooked. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS  (Brassica  oleracea  var.). 

This  vegetable,  as  the  engraving  shows,  is  a  variety  of 
the  Cabbage  which  forms  scarcely  any  terminal  bud  or 
head  ;  but  the  buds  along  the  stem,  which  in  the  ordi- 


113.  —  BRUSSELS    SPROUTS. 


nary  Cabbage  remain  small,  are  in  this  developed  into 
small  heads,  which  are  the  edible  portion.  Brussels 
Sprouts  are  much  more  used  in  Europe  than  with  us. 
Though  the  plant  is  not  sufficiently  hardy  to  endnre  our 
northern  winters,  it  will  stand  in  this  latitude  until 


314  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

Christmas.  Its  cultivation  is  exactly  similar  in  all  re- 
spects to  that  of  Broccoli,  except  that  it  may  be  planted 
closer,  say  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  apart. 

CAULIFLOWER  (Brassica  oleracca  var.). 

There  is  quite  an  ambition  among  amateur  gardeners 
to  raise  early  Cauliflower;  but  as  the  conditions  necessary 
to  success  with  this  are  not  quite  so  easy  to  command  as 
with  most  other  vegetables,  probably  not  one  in  three 
who  try  it  succeed.  In  England,  and  most  places  on 
the  Continent  of  Europe,  it  is  the  most  valued  of  all 
vegetables,  and  is  grown  there  nearly  as  easily  as  early 
Cabbages.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  temper- 
ature there  is  on  the  average  ten  degrees  lower  at  the 
time  it  matures  (June)  than  with  us ;  besides,  their 
atmosphere  is  much  more  humid,  two  conditions  essen- 
tial to  its  best  development.  I  will  briefly  state  how 
early  Cauliflowers  can  be  most  successfully  grown  here. 
First,  the  soil  must  be  well  broken  and  pulverized  by 
spading  or  plowing  to  at  least  a  foot  in  depth,  mixing 
through  it  a  layer  of  three  or  four  inches  of  strong,  well- 
rotted  stable  manure.  The  plants  may  be  either  those 
from  seed  sown  last  fall  and  wintered  over  in  cold  frames, 
or  else  started  from  seeds  sown  in  January  or  February, 
in  a  hot-bed  or  greenhouse,  and  planted  in  small  pots  or 
boxes,  so  as  to  make  plants  strong  enough  to  be  set  out 
as  soon  as  the  soil  is  fit  to  work,  which  in  this  latitude  is 
usually  the  first  week  in  April.  We  are  often  applied  to 
for  Cauliflower  plants  as  late  as  the  end  of  May,  but  the 
chances  of  their  forming  heads  when  planted  late  in  May 
are  slim  indeed. 

The  surest  way  to  secure  the  heading  of  Cauliflowers 
is  to  use  what  are  called  hand-glasses,  some  of  which  are 
described  in  the  chapter  on  "Implements."  These  are 
usually  made  about  two  feet  square,  which  gives  room 


CAULIFLOWER.  315 

enough  for  three  or  four  plants  of  Cauliflower,  until  they 
are  so  far  forwarded  that  the  glass  can  be  taken  off. 
When  the  hand-glass  is  used,  the  Cauliflowers  may  be 
planted  out  in  any  warm  border  early  in  March  and 
covered  by  them.  This  covering  protects  them  from 
frosts  at  night,  and  gives  the  necessary  increase  of  tem- 
perature for  growth  during  the  cold  weeks  of  March  and 
April ;  so  that  by  the  first  week  in  May,  if  the  Cauli- 
flower has  been  properly  hardened  off  by  ventilating  (by 
tilting  up  the  hand-glasses  on  one  side),  they  may  be 


Fig.  114.— HENDERSON'S  EARLY  SNOWBALL  OATJLIFLOWER. 


taken  off  altogether,  and  then  used  to  fonvard  Tomatoes, 
Melons,  or  Cucumbers,  at  which  date  these  may  be 
started,  if  under  the  protection  of  hand-glasses.  If  the 
weather  is  dry,  the  Cauliflowers  will  be  much  benefited 
by  being  thoroughly  soaked  with  water  twice  or  thrice  a 
week ;  not  a  mere  sprinkling,  which  is  of  no  use,  but 
a  complete  drenching,  so  that  the  water  will  reach  to  the 
lowest  roots.  If  the  ground  is  slightly  sprinkled  around 
the  roots  with  guano  before  watering,  all  the  better. 
The  best  varieties  of  Cauliflower  we  have  found  as  yet  are 
the  Early  Snowball  (figure  114),  introduced  by  me  in 


316  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASURE. 

1880,  and,  for  succession,  Early  Paris  or  Algiers.  These 
instructions  refer  to  the  early  crop  of  Cauliflower.  For 
late  or  fall  crop  sow  the  seeds  in  May,  and  plant  out  as 
for  Cabbage  in  June  or  July.  In  our  climate  there  is 
usually  more  success  with  late  than  early  Cauliflower. 

CABBAGE  (Brassica  oleracea  var.). 

The  Cabbage  is  so  easily  raised  that  but  little  space 
need  be  devoted  to  it  here.  Like  all  of  its  tribe,  it  re- 
quires an  abundance  of  manure  for  its  full  development. 


The  early  varieties  should  be  either  raised  in  cold  frames 
or  in  hot-beds,  as  stated  for  Cauliflower,  and  planted  out 
at  distances  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  inches  apart  each 
way,  as  early  as  the  ground  is  fit  to  work  in  April.  The 
best  early  varieties  are  the  Early  Wakefield  and  Early 


CARROT. 


317 


Summer.  As  a  successional  variety  the  Winningstadt 
is  very  popular.  It  has  a  sharply  conical  head,  and 
sometimes  grows  quite  large. 

For  late  varieties,  the  seed  should  be  sown  in  May,  and 
the  plants  set  out  in  June  or  July  at  two  to  three  feet 
apart.  For  winter  use  the  Flat  Dutch  or  Drumhead  is 
usually  grown,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others  ;  and  while 
the  Curled  Savoy  is  vastly  better  flavored,  not  one  Savoy 
is  planted  for  every  thousand  Drumhead.  The  flavor  of 


Fig.  116.— VARIETIES  OF  THE 
CARROT. 

1.— EABLY  FRENCH  FORCING. 
2. — EARLY  HORN. 

3.— LONG  ORANGE. 


the  Savoy  is  as  superior  to  that  of  the  Drumhead,  as  that 
of  a  Bartlett  is  to  that  of  a  choke  pear,  and  it  is  alto- 
gether the  best  late  Cabbage  for  family  use,  and  the 
wonder  is  how  long  it  has  taken  for  it  to  be  appreciated 
here,  though  we  find  its  culture  is  increasing  rapidly. 

CARROT  (Daucus  Carota). 

Carrots  are  sown  any  time  from  April  to  June,  in  rows 
one  foot  apart,  covering  the  seed  two  inches  deep.     If 


318  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

the  soil  is  light,  they  will  be  better  flavored.  When  the 
plants  are  an  inch  or  so  high,  thin  out  to  three  or  four 
inches  apart.  The  varieties  most  in  use  are  Early  French 
Forcing,  Early  Horn,  and  Long  Orange.  Eight  ounces 
of  seed  will  sow  three  hundred  feet  of  row,  which,  for 
most  families,  would  be  an  abundance,  both  for  summer 
and  winter  use.  Carrots  are  much  prized  as  food  for 
horses  and  cows,  and  if  wanted  for  this  purpose  in  quan- 
tity, they  should  be  sown  with  a  seed-drill,  in  rows  one 
and  a  half  to  two  feet  apart.  About  four  pounds  of  seed 
per  acre  are  required. 

CELERY  (Aplum  graveolens}. 

If  I  am  fitted  to  instruct  on  the  cultivation  of  any  veg- 
etable, it  is  this,  as  for  many  years  I  have  cultivated 
nearly  half  a  million  roots  annually,  and  this  experience 
has  resulted  in  greatly  simplifying  the  operation.  The 
seeds  are  sown  on  a  well-pulverized,  rich  border,  in  the 
open  ground,  as  early  in  the  season  as  the  ground  can  be 
worked.  The  bed  is  kept  clear  of  weeds  until  July,  when 
the  plants  are  set  out  for  the  crop.  But  as  the  seedling 
plants  are  rather  troublesome  to  raise,  the  small  number 
wanted  for  private  use  can  usually  be  purchased  cheaper 
than  they  can  be  raised  on  a  small  scale  (they  cost  from 
fifty  cents  to  a  dollar  per  hundred);  and  if  they  ca-n  be 
procured  fresh  from  the  seedsmen,  market  gardeners,  or 
florists  in  the  neighborhood,  it  is  never  worth  while  to  sow 
the  seed,  as  from  three  hundred  to  five  hundred  plants  are 
ample  for  ordinary  sized  families.  The  European  plan  is  to 
make  a  trench  six  or  eight  inches  deep  in  which  to  plant 
Celery;  but  our  violent  rain  storms  in  summer  soon 
showed  us  that  this  plan  was  not  a  good  one  here,  so  we 
set  about  planting  on  the  level  surface  of  the  ground, 
just  as  we  do  with  all  vegetables. 

Celery  is  a  "gross  feeder,"  and  requires  two  or  three 


CELERY.  319 

inches  thick  of  well-rotted  manure,  which,  as  usual, 
must  be  well  mixed  and  incorporated  with  the  soil  before 
the  Celery  is  set  out.  If  stable  manure  is  not  convenient, 
bone  dust,  guano,  or  other  concentrated  fertilizer  may 
be  sown  on  the  rows  about  as  thick  as  sand  or  sawdust  is 
strewn  on  a  floor,  and  well  chopped  in  and  mixed  with 
the  coil.  Whether  stable  manure  or  a  concentrated 
fertilizer  be  used,  it  should  be  spread  over  and  mixed  to 
at  least  twelve  inches  in  width  and  six  inches  in  depth. 
When  the  ground  is  thus  prepared,  we  stretch  a  line  to 
the  distance  required,  and  beat  it  slightly  with  a  spade, 
so  that  it  leaves  a  mark  to  show  where  to  place  the 
plants.  These  are  set  out  at  distances  of  six  inches 
between  the  plants,  and  usually  four  feet  between  the 
rows.  Great  care  must  be  taken  in  putting  out  the 
Celery,  to  see  that  the  plant  is  set  just  to  the  depth  of 
the  roots.  If  much  deeper,  the  "heart"  might  be  too 
much  covered  up,  which  would  impede  the  growth.  It 
is  also  important  that  the  soil  be  well  packed  to  the  root 
in  planting  ;  and  if  the  operation  can  be  done  in  the 
evening,  and  the  plants  copiously  watered,  no  farther 
watering  will  usually  be  required. 

If  planted  in  July,  nothing  is  to  be  done  but  keep  the 
crop  clear  of  weeds  until  September.  By  that  time  the 
handling  process  is  to  be  begun,  which  consists  in  draw- 
ing the  earth  to  each  side  of  the  Celery,  and  pressing  it 
tightly  to  it,  so  as  to  give  the  leaves  an  upward  growth 
preparatory  to  blanching  for  use.  Supposing  this  hand- 
ling process  is  done  by  the  middle  of  September,  by  the 
first  week  in  October  it  is  ready  for  "  banking  up,"  which 
is  done  by  digging  the  soil  from  between  the  rows  and 
laying  or  banking  it  up  on  each  side  of  the  row  of  Celery. 
After  being  so  banked  up  in  October,  it  will  be  ready  for 
use  in  three  or  four  weeks,  if  wanted  at  that  time.  But 
if,  as  is  usually  the  case,  it  is  needed  for  winter  use  only, 
and  is  to  be  put  away  in  trenches  or  in  the  cellar,  as 


320  GARDENING   FOB   PLEASURE. 

will  be  hereafter  described,  all  that  it  requires  is  the 
operation  of  "  handling,"  to  straighten  it  up.  If  the 
Celery  is  to  be  left  in  the  open  ground  where  it  was  grown 
(as  it" can  be  in  any  section  of  the  country  where  the  ther- 
mometer does  not  fall  more  than  fifteen  degrees  below  the 
freezing  point),  then  a  heavy  bank  must  be  made  on  each 
side  of  the  rows,  and  as  cold  weather  approaches— say 
by  the  middle  of  November — an  additional  covering  of 
at  least  a  foot  of  leaves  or  litter  must  be  closely  packed 
against  the  bank,  to  protect  it  from  frost. 

Perhaps  the  best  way  to  keep  Celery  for  family  use  is 
in  a  cellar.     This  can  be  done  by  storing  it  in  narrow 


Fig.    117.— "  HANDLING 


boxes  of  a  depth  a  little  less  than  the  hight  of  the  Celery. 
A  few  inches  of  sand  or  soil  are  placed  in  the  bottom  of 
the  box,  and  the  Celery  is  packed  upright,  the  roots  being 
placed  on  damp  sand  or  earth  at  the  bottom,  but  none  is 
to  be  put  between  the  heads;  and  be  careful  not  to  water 
the  Celery,  as,  if  packed  moderately  tight,  the  air  will  be 
excluded,  so  that  it  will  not  wilt ;  and  the  roots  being 
on  the  damp  sand  or  soil  at  the  bottom  of  the  box,  the 
moisture  there  will  sustain  them.  Boxes  thus  packed 
and  placed  in  a  cool  cellar  in  November,  will  be  blanched 
fit  for  use  during  January,  February,  and  March,  though, 
for  succession,  it  will  be  better  to  put  it  in  the  boxes 


CELERY.  321 

from  the  open  ground  at  three  different  times,  say 
October  25th,  November  30th,  and  November  20th.  Or, 
if  boxes  are  not  at  hand,  the  Celery  may  be  put  away  on 
the  floor  of  the  cellar  in  strips  nine  or  ten  inches  wide, 
separated  by  spaces  of  the  same  width,  and  divided  by 
boards  of  a  night  equal  to  the  hight  of  the  Celery.  The 
reason  for  dividing  the  Celery  in  these  narrow  strips  by 
boards  is  to  prevent  "heating,"  which  would  take  place 
if  the  plants  were  packed  together  in  too  thick  masses. 
The  dates  above  given  apply,  of  course,  to  the  latitude 
of  New  York.  If  farther  south,  do  the  work  later;  if 
farther  north,  earlier.  If  one  has  no  suitable  cellar,  the 


Fig.   118 — SHOWS   CELERY  BANKED  UP. 

Celery  can  be  very  readily  preserved  in  the  manner  fol- 
lowed by  market  gardeners,  thus  : 

After  it  has  been  "  h  ana  led  "  or  straightened  up,  as 
before  described,  what  is  intended  for  use  by  Christmas 
should  be  dug  up  by  about  October  25th ;  that  to  be 
used  in  January  and  February,  by  November  10th  ;  and 
that  for  March  use,  by  November  20th,  which  latter 
date  is  as  late  as  it  can  be  risked  here.  Although  it  will 
stand  quite  a  sharp  frost,  the  weather  by  the  end  of 
November  is  often  severe  enough  to  kill  it,  or  so  freeze 
it  in  the  ground  that  it  cannot  be  dug  up.  The  ground 
in  which  it  is  to  be  preserved  for  winter  use  must  be  as 


322 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


dry  as  possible,  and  so  arranged  that  no  water  can  remain 
in  the  trench.  Dig  a  trench  as  narrow  as  possible  (it 
should  not  be  wider  than  ten  inches),  and  of  a  depth 
equal  to  the  hight  of  the  Celery ;  that  is,  if  the  plant  of 
Celery  be  eighteen  inches  high,  the  trench  should  be  dug 
eighteen  inches  deep.  The  Celery  is  then  packed  exactly 
in  the  manner  described  for  storing  in  boxes  to  be  placed 
in  the  cellar;  that  is,  stand  it  as  nearly  upright  as  possible, 
and  pack  as  closely  together  as  can  be  done  without 
bruising  it.  As  the  weather  becomes  cold,  the  trenches 
should  be  gradually  covered  with  leaves  or  litter  to  the 
thickness  of  six  or  eight  inches,  which  will  be  enough  to 


Fig.   119.— STORING  CELERY  IN  TRENCHES  FOB  WINTER. 

prevent  severe  freezing,  and  enable  the  roots  to  be  taken 
out  easily  when  wanted.  Figure  119  represents  this 
method  of  storing  Celery  in  trenches  for  winter  use. 

The  best  varieties  of  Celery  for  family  use  I  believe  to 
be  the  four  described  below  : 

White  Plume,  introduced  by  me  in  1884,  is  now 
perhaps  more  largely  grown  than  any  other  Celery,  and 
possesses  all  the  best  qualities  of  the  best  of  the  old 
kinds.  It  has  the  great  merit  of  being  nearly  self- 
blanching,  as  in  its  natural  growth,  without  being 
earthed  up,  the  inner  stems  and  leaves  are  white,  and 
nearly  fit  for  use  without  being  blanched  artificially. 


CELERY.  323 

The  flavoi,  uowever,  is  much  improved  by  blanching,  so 
that  it  is  necessary  to  at  least  handle  and  earth  up  this 
variety  to  half  its  hight  to  get  the  best  results.  AD  other 


Fig.  120.— HENDERSON'S  WHITE  PLUME  CELEBT. 
great  merit  of  the  White  Plume  Celery  is  that,  while 
being  unsurpassed  in  flavor,  it  excels  all  other  vegetables 


324  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

as  an  ornament  for  the  dinner  table,  its  graceful  white 
leaves  resembling  somewhat  an  ostrich  feather.  We  sent 
samples  of  it  to  all  the  leading  hotels  in  New  York  the 
present  season,  from  all  of  which  we  had  the  most  flatter- 
ing testimonials  of  its  excellence. 

Sandringham. — This  is  a  dwarf,  full-hearted  kind, 
and,  when  it  does  well,  is  one  of  the  very  best,  equaled 
by  none  in  fact ;  but  it  has  a  great  tendency  to  rust  or 
burn,  which  impairs  its  value.  A  new  sport  from  this, 
known  as  the  Gulden  Self -Blanching,  is  somewhat  of  an 
improvement  on  the  Sandringham. 

For  general  use  the  Golden  Dwarf  comes  next  in 
merit  to  the  White  Plume.  It  is  a  short-growing  or 
half-dwarf  sort,  with  yellowish  heart,  solid  and  crisp. 

A  variety  introduced  by  us  in  1886,  called  the  Rose, 
is  the  best  of  all  the  Bed  or  Pink  Celeries.  The  red  kinds 
are  used  nearly  exclusively  in  the  London  markets,  as 
they  are  certainly  more  crisp  and  better  flavored  than 
any  of  the  white  kinds,  besides  being  hardier  and  less 
liable  to  rot  in  winter ;  but,  so  far,  they  are  comparatively 
little  used  in  this  country.  While  we  sell  nearly  a  thou- 
sand pounds  of  seed  each  of  such  kinds  as  White  Plume 
and  Golden  Dwarf  annually,  we  do  not,  as  yet,  sell  one- 
tenth  of  that  quantity  of  the  Red. 

CELERIAC,  OR  TURNIP-ROOTED  CELERY  (Apium  graveolens  var.). 

This  is  grown  almost  the  same  as  the  common  Celery ; 
and  as  it  requires  but  little  earthing-up,  the  rows  may 
be  nearer  together.  Its  turnip-like  root  is  used  as  a 
salad,  mostly  by  the  French  and  Germans.  It  is  some- 
times stewed,  but  usually  simply  boiled,  sliced,  and 
dressed  as  a  salad  for  the  table. 

CORN-SALAD  OR  FETTICUS  ( Valerlanella  olitoria). 

This  is  sold  to  a  considerable  extent  in  spring  in  the 
city  markets  for  use  as  an  early  salad.  For  mode  of  cul- 


CHIVES— CHESS— CDltX.  325 

tivation,  etc.,  see  Spinach,  as  it  is  grown  in  exactly  the 
same  manner. 

CHIVES  (Allium  Scluenoprasum). 

An  entirely  hardy,  onion-like  plant,  of  easy  culture. 
It  will  grow  on  almost  any  soil  for  years  without  being 
transplanted.  The  leaves  are  the  part  used,  and  may  be 
shorn  off  every  two  weeks  during  summer.  It  is  propa- 
gated by  tearing  apart  the  old  clumps  and  setting  the 
divisions  in  rows  a  foot  apart. 

CRESS  OR  PEPPER  GRASS  (Lepidlum  sativum). 

A  spring  and  summer  salad  plant.  Sow  in  early  spring, 
and  in  succession  every  week  or  so  if  desired,  in  rows 
one  foot  apart.  The  curled  variety  is  the  best,  as  it  can 
be  used  for  garnishing  as  well  as  for  salad. 

CRESS,  WATER  (Nasturtium  offlcinale). 

A  hardy  aquatic  plant,  which  can  only  be  properly  cul- 
tivated where  there  are  running  streams.  If  there  is  a 
brook  on  the  "place,  all  that  would  be  wanted  for  private 
use  may  be  had  by  setting  a  few  plants  or  sowing  seeds 
in  spring  on  the  margin  of  the  water.  There  is  a  variety 
recently  introduced  known  as  "Upland  Cress,"  that  can 
be  grown  in  an  ordinary  garden.  It  is  almost  identical 
in  flavor  with,  the  Water  Cress. 

CORN  (Zea  Mays). 

The  varieties  known  as  "Sweet"  are  the  kinds  culti- 
vated to  be  used  in  the  green  state.  Corn  may  either  be 
planted  in  "  hills"  (dropping  three  or  four  seeds  in  a  hill) 
four  feet  apart  each  way,  or  in  rows  five  feet  apart,  drop- 
ping the  seeds  at  distances  of  eight  or  ten  inches  in  the 
rows.  In  this  latitude  it  is  useless  to  plant  Corn  before 
the  middle  of  May.  For  successional  crops  it  should  be 


GABDENLNG   FOR   PLEASURE. 


CUCUMBER.  3&, 

planted  every  two  or  three  weeks  until  July  first.  After 
that  date  it  will  not  mature  here.  Corn  requires  a  rich, 
light  soil  to  be  earl}'.  The  leading  varieties  are  shown 
in  figure  121.  Three  or  four  quarts  are  required,  if 
Guccessional  crops  are  sown.  If  only  one  crop,  two  or 
three  pints  will  be  sufficient  for  an  ordinary  family. 

CUCUMBER  (Cucumis  satitws). 

In  most  places  where  the  Cucumber  is  grown  out- 
doors, it  is  more  or  less  troubled  with  the  "Striped 
Bug ; "  but  if  only  a  few  dozen  hills  are  cultivated,  it  is 
not  a  very  troublesome  matter  to  pick  them  off,  which  is 
about  the  only  sure  way  to  get  rid  of  them.  The  safest 
method  of  raising  Cucumbers,  however,  is  to  cover  the 
seeds,  when  first  sown,  with  the  hand-glass  described  in 
the  chapter  on  •'Implements,"  which,  by  the  time  they 
are  wanted  for  Cucumbers,  are  no  longer  needed  over 
Cauliflowers.  If  such  hand-glasses  are  not  obtainable,  a 
simple  method  is  to  use  a  light  box  ten  or  twelve  inches 
square,  and  place  it  over  the  seeds  after  sowing,  covering 
it  with  a  pane  of  glass.  This 
will  not  only  forward  the  ger- 
mination of  the  seeds,  but  will 
protect  the  plants  against  the 
bugs  until  they  are  strong 
enough  not  to  be  injured  by 
them.  Bryant's  Plant  Protec- 
tor, a  simple  article,  made  of 

light  strips  of  wood  covered  Fi£-  123- 

r    .  ...  BRYANT'S  PLANT  PROTECTOR. 

with   mosquito  netting,  may 

be  used  instead  of  a  hand-glass.  This  will  be  found 
equally-  valuable  for  protecting  all  plants  liable  to  the 
attacks  of  flying  insects,  and  against  the  light  frosts 
so  often  injurious  to  tender  plants.  Light,  sandy  soil 
is  rather  best  for  Cucumbers.  The  "hills"  should 


328  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

be  prepared  in  the  same  manner  as  for  Lima  Beans, 
but  set  three  feet  apart,  dropping  five  or  six  seeds  in 
each  hill.  Cucumbers  may  be  sown  about  the  middle  of 
May,  and  in  succession,  every  three  or  four  weeks,  until 
July.  The  White  Spine  and  Long  Green  Prickly  are 
favorite  varieties.  The  Gherkin  or  Burr  is  by  some  used 
for  pickling. 

FORCING  CUCUMBERS. — The  forcing  house  shown  at 
page  267  as  suitable  for  Strawberry  forcing,  can  be  made 
equally  available  for  forcing  Cucumbers,  either  during 
the  entire  winter  or  spring  season,  or  to  succeed  the 
early  forced  crops  of  vegetables  or  fruits  in  spring. 

If  wanted  for  forcing  Cucumbers  during  the  fall  or 
winter,  the  seed  should  be  sown  in  the  greenhouse  in 
October  or  November,  in  small  pots,  three  or  four  seeds 
in  each,  and  thinning  out  to  one  strong  plant.  These, 
if  grown  in  a  temperature  averaging  seventy-five  degrees, 
will  in  thirty  days  have  become  sufficiently  strong  to 
plant  out  at  twenty-four  inches  apart  on  the  south  side 
of  the  bench,  one  row  only.  A  trellis  of  galvanized  iron 
wire  is  made  with  about  a  nine-inch  mesh,  diamond 
shaped.  This,  on  the  middle  bench,  should  be  kept  two 
feet  from  the  glass,  but  on  the  front  bench  it  can  only  be 
kept  one  foot,  owing  to  its  nearness  to  the  glass.  The 
depth  of  soil  should  be,  if  on  raised  wooden  benches, 
about  five  or  six  inches ;  if  on  the  solid  center  bed, 
ten  to  fifteen  inches.  The  soil  should  be  a  sandy  loam, 
with  one-fifth  well-rotted  cow  manure.  The  night  tem- 
perature in  the  forcing-house  for  the  fall,  winter,  and 
spring  months  for  Cucumbers,  should  range  as  near  as 
possible  from  sixty  to  sixty-five  degrees,  with  a  tempera- 
ture on  bright  days  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees  higher, 
giving  ventilation  at  all  reasonable  times.  Cucumbers 
delight  in  a  moist  atmosphere,  and  whenever  the  weather 
is  bright  and  clear,  water  should  be  sprinkled  on  the 
pipes,  walks,  and  under  tho  benches,  A  dry  atmosphere 


CUCUMBER.  329 

is  certain  to  develop  the  Red  Spider,  which  is  fatal  to 
success.  It  may  also  be  here  stated,  if  Cucumbers  are  to 
be  forced  during  the  winter  months,  that,  to  keep  up  the 
necessary  high  temperature,  eight  runs  of  four-inch  pipes 
will  be  required  in  a  greenhouse  twenty  feet  wide. 

Although  there  is  no  necessity  for  artificial  impregna- 
tion of  the  Cucumber  flowers  when  grown  in  the  open 
air,  where  the  insects  and  winds  do  the  work,  yet,  when 
grown  in  the  forcing  house,  it  is  absolutely  necessary, 
particularly  in  midwinter.  This  is  best  done  with  a 
camel's  hair  pencil,  by  detaching  the  pollen,  or  fertilizing 
dust,  from  the  stamens  and  applying  it  to  the  stigma.  It 
will  also  facilitate  impregnation  on  bright  days  to  slightly 
jar  the  Avire  trellis,  so  as  to  let  the  pollen  loose,  which, 
in  floating  through  the  air,  fastens  on  the  stigma.  The 
Cucumber  and  all  plants  of  that  class  have  the  male  and 
female  flowers  separate  on  the  same  plant.  Cucumbers 
from  seed  sown  in  October  will  give  a  continuous  crop 
until  June — of  course,  if  well  handled.  When  wanted 
only  to  succeed  crops  of  forced  Lettuce,  Eadishes,  or 
Strawberries  in  spring,  the  seed  should  not  be  sown 
until  February  or  March.  The  variety  for  forcing  which 
seems  to  be  most  favorably  received  in  our  markets  is 
Selected  Early  White  Spine,  though,  of  late  years,  the 
beautiful  long  kinds,  such  as  Telegraph  and  Rambler, 
which  are  almost  exclusively  used  in  Europe  for  forcing, 
are  beginning  to  be  favorably  received. 

Although  Cucumbers  are  now  to  be  found  in  our 
markets  at  nearly  all  seasons  of  the  year,  grown  at  the 
south,  yet  they  never  have  the  fine  appearance  nor  the 
delicate  flavor  of  those  grown  by  being  forced  under 
glass  ;  so  that  large  areas  of  forcing  houses  for  this  and 
other  vegetable  and  fruit  crops  are  now  profitably  used 
in  all  our  large  cities,  though  coming  in  direct  compe- 
tition with  Southern  products. 


330  GARDENING   FOR    PLEASURE. 

EGG  PLANT  (Solatium  Melongena). 

This  is  always  an  interesting  vegetable  to  cultivate, 
being  worthy  of  a  place  as  an  ornamental  plant,  as  well 
as  being  much  prized  for  culinary  use.  It  is  a  native  of 
the  tropics,  and  peculiarly  tender.  We  find  the  seeds 
will  not  germinate  freely  below  a  temperature  of  seventy 
degrees ;  and  even  then  often  tardily,  unless  the  condi- 
tions are  just  right.  Nothing  suits  them  so  well  as  a 
warm  hot-bed  ;  and  to  get  plants  of  the  proper  size  to  be 
set  in  the  open  ground  by  the  end  of  May,  the  seeds 
should  be  sown  early  in  March,  and  the  plants  potted 
into  small  pots  when  an  inch  or  so  in  hight.  But  as 
only  a  dozen  or  two  plants  are  needed  for  a  family,  when- 
ever the  plants  can  be  purchased  conveniently,  it  is  never 
worth  the  trouble  to  attempt  the  raising  of  them  from 
seeds,  unless,  indeed,  there  is  room  in  a  hot-bed,  or  a 
hot-house  used  for  other  purposes.  Do  not  plant  out 
sooner,  in  this  latitude,  than  the  25th  of  May,  unless 
they  can  be  protected  by  hand-glasses.  Set  at  distances 
of  four  feet  apart,  preparing  the  hills  as  described  for 
Lima  Beans.  Each  plant  should  average  a  dozen  fruits, 
which  will  weigh  from  ten  to  forty  ounces  each.  The  best 
flavored  variety,  in  our  opinion,  is  the  Black  Pekin,  but 
the  most  prolific  is  the  New  York  Market.  A  pure 
pearly  white  variety  is  highly  ornamental,  and  also  of 
excellent  flavor.  There  is  also  a  beautiful  scarlet  variety, 
sometimes  grown  as  a  greenhouse  ornament.  The  Egg 
Plant  is  usually  fried  in  slices ;  but  there  are  other 
methods  to  be  found  in  the  proper  authorities  on  such 
matters. 

ENDIVE  (CicJwrium  Endivia). 

A  plant  related  to  the  Lettuce.  If  sown  in  early  spring, 
either  in  a  hot-bed  or  in  the  open  ground  in  April,  it 
will  be  ready  in  May.  Set  out  at  distances  of  fifteen 


HERBS — GARLIC— HORSERADISH.  331 

inches  apart.  It  is  mostly  used  towards  fall,  however, 
and  when  wanted  at  that  time,  should  be  sown  in  June 
or  July,  and  set  out  in  August  or  September.  Nothing 
further  is  done  after  planting  but  hoeiug  to  keep  down 
the  weeds,  until  it  attains  its  full  growth,  which  is  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  It  is  then 
"blanched,"  either  by  gathering  up  the  leaves  and 
tying  them  by  their  tops  in  a  conical  form,  or  by  placing 
a  slate  or  flat  stone  on  the  plant  to  exclude  the  light  and 
effect  the  blanching.  It  is  used  as  a  salad.  The  varie- 
ties are  the  Moss  Curled  and  Plain-leaved  Batavian. 

HERBS,   SWEET. 

Thyme,  Sage,  Basil,  Sweet  Marjoram,  and  Summer 
Savory  are  those  in  general  use.  The  seeds  of  all  should 
be  sown  in  shallow  drills,  one  foot  apart,  in  May,  and  the 
plants  will  be  fit  for  use  in  September  and  October. 

GARLIC  (Allium  sativum). 

This  is  used  mostly  by  Europeans.  It  grows  freely 
on  any  soil.  The  sets,  obtained  by  breaking  up  the  old 
bulbs,  are  planted  in  early  spring  in  rows  one  foot  apart, 
and  five  or  six  inches  between  the  plants.  When  the 
leaves  wither,  the  bulbs  are  taken  up  and  hung  in  a  dry, 
cool  place. 

HORSERADISH   (Cochlcaria  Armoracea). 

For  family  use  a  few  roots  of  this  should  be  planted  in 
some  out-of-the-way  corner  of  the  vegetable  garden.  A 
dozen  roots,  once  planted,  will  usually  give  enough  for  a 
lifetime,  as  it  increases  and  spreads  so  that  there  is  never 
any  danger  of  being  without  it.  The  trouble  is,  if  it  is 
once  admitted  into  the  garden,  it  is  difficult  to  be  got 
rid  of,  if  so  desired. 


332  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

KOHLRABI.  OR  TURNIP-ROOTED  CABBAGE  (Brassica  okracea  var.). 

This  vegetable  resembles  a  Turnip,  but  is  regarded  as  a 
variety  of  the  Cabbage,  with  a  fleshy,  edible  stem.  Seeds 
should  be  sown  in  rows  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  apart, 
in  May  or  June,  and  when  an  inch  high,  thinned  out  to 
nine  or  ten  inches.  It  is  a  favorite  vegetable  with  the 
Germans,  and  immense  quantities  are  sold  in  the  markets 
of  New  York.  There  are  two  varieties,  White  and  Purple. 

LEEK  (Attium  Fbrrum). 

Sow  in  April,  and  plant  out  in  June  or  July,  in  rows 
one  foot  apart  and  six  inches  between  the  plants.  It  is 
used  mainly  during  the  winter  months.  It  is  an  entirely 
hardy  plant ;  yet,  in  order  that  it  may  be  handy  to  get 
at  in  winter,  it  is  better  to  put  it  in  trenches  or  boxes, 
as  advised  for  preserving  Celery. 

LETTUCE   (Lactuca  saliva). 

Lettuce  should  be  sown  in  a  hot-bed  or  greenhouse,  if 
wanted  early.  Seeds  sown  there  in  .February  will  give 


Fig.   123. — BLACK-SEEDED  SIMPSON  LETTC7CE. 

nice  plants  to  set  out  in  April,  to  mature  in  May;  or,  if 
it  is  sown  in  the  open  ground  in  April  and  planted  out  in 


MARTYNIA — MELOX. 


May,  it  will  mature  in  June,  and  so  on  through  the  sum- 
mer season  if  successional  crops  are  desired,  as  it  only 
takes  from  five  to  six  weeks  to  mature.  The  great  excel- 
lence of  Lettuce  consists  in  its  freshness,  and  it  can  rarely 
be  purchased  in  perfect  con- 
dition ;  hence,  those  who 
would  enjoy  it  in  its  best 
state  should  raise  it  them- 
selves. For  early  use,  to  be 
ready  in  May,  the  Curled 
Silesia  and  Boston  Market 
are  the  best;  while  for  sum- 
mer use  the  Salamander, 
New  York,  and  Black-seed- 
ed Simpson  (figure  123) 
should  be  sown,  as  they 
do  not  readily  run  to  seed. 
The  Cos  varieties  are  mainly 
used  in  Europe,  and  are  by 
far  the  best  flavored ;  but,  from  their  tendency  to  run 
to  seed  in  our  warmer  climate,  are  but  little  cultivated, 
though  they  might  be  safely  grown  in  the  cool  weather, 
in  spring  or  in  fall.  Although  usually  transplanted,  the 
seed  is  also  sown  in  rows,  and  the  plants  thinned  out  to 
twelve  inches  apart.  An  ounce  of  seed  of  each  variety 
will  be  ample. 

MARTTNIA    (Martynia  proboscidea). 

The  unripe  pods,  when  perfectly  tender,  are  used  for 
pickling.  They  must  be  gathered  every  day  or  two,  or 
some  will  become  hard  and  useless.  Sow  in  open  ground 
in  May,  in  drills  two  feet  apart,  and  thin  out  to  one  foot. 

MELON,   MUSK    (Cucumis  Melo). 

The  cultivation  of  the  Melon  is  almost  identical  with 
that  of  the  Cucumber,  to  which  reference  may  be  made. 


Fie;.  124. 

PARIS    WHITE    COS    LETTUCE. 


334 


GARDENING   FOE   PLEASURE. 


The  varieties  are  numerous,  those  named  below  being  the 
most  popular  at  the  date  I  write.     Early  Hackensack, 


Fig.   125. — BALTIMORE  MTT8K  MELON. 

Baltimore  (figure  125),  and  Montreal  Market  (figure  126). 
(For  illustrations  and  descriptions  see  seed  lists.) 


126. — MONTREAL   MARKET  MUSK  MELON. 


MELON,  WATER  (Citrullus  vulgaris). 

The  cultivation  of  the  Water  Melon  is  in  all  respects 
similar  to  that  of  the  Musk  Melon,  except  that,  being  a 


MELON— MUSTARD. 


335 


larger  and  stronger  growing  plant,  it  requires  to  be 
planted  at  greater  distances.  The  hills  should  not  be 
less  than  eight  feet  apart  each  way.  It  delights  in  a 
light,  sandy  soil,  and  will  not  grow  satisfactorily  on  heavy, 
clayey  soils.  The  leading  sorts  are  named,  as  usual,  in 


Fig.    127. — SCALY   BABK  WATER  MELON. 

the  order  of  what  I  consider  to  be  their  excellence,  and 
are  of  the  kinds  most  approved  at  the  date  of  writing. 
Phinney's  Early,  Rattlesnake  or  Gypsy,  Ironclad  Mam- 
moth, and  Scaly  Bark.  ''  Green  and  Gold,"  an  entirely 
new  and  excellent  variety,  with  golden  yellow  flesh,  will 
be  sent  out  by  us  the  present  season  (1888).  (For  illus- 
trations and  descriptions,  see  seed  catalogues.) 

MUSTARD  (Sinapis  alba). 

For  use  and  cultivation  see  Cress. 


336  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

MUSHROOM  (Agm-icus  campestris). 

Many  who  have  a  taste  for  horticultural  pursuits  grow 
Mushrooms  as  much  for  the  novelty  of  the  thing  as  for 
use;  for  it  is  certainly  very  gratifying  for  an  amateur 
to  find  that  he  has  succeeded  with  a  crop  of  this  curious 
vegetable  in  mid-winter,  when  everything  outside  is 
frost-locked  and  snow-bound.  I  have  said  that  the  nov- 
elty is  attractive ;  for  in  growing  all  other  plants  the 
cultivator  sees  something  tangible  to  start  with,  either 
seeds,  plants,  or  roots,  but  with  the  Mushroom  it  may 
be  said  he  sees  none  of  these;  for  no  seeds  can  be  discov- 
ered either  with  the  naked  eye  or  with  a  magnifier,  and 
it  requires  some  faith  to  believe  the  minute,  thread-like 
substance  we  call  "spawn  "  to  be  either  plants  or  roots. 

Mushrooms  are  always  raised  in  the  dark,  and  any  cel- 
lar, stable,  or  an  out-house  of  any  sort,  wherein  a  temper- 
ature of  forty-five  to  sixty-five  degrees  can  be  commanded, 
will  grow  them.  There  are  various  methods  followed  by 
Mushroom  growers,  but  I  will  only  give  two,  premising 
that,  if  the  directions  given  are  strictly  followed,  success 
is  just  as  certain  as  in  growing  a  crop  of  Peas  or  Potatoes. 
Let  horse  droppings  be  procured  from  the  stables  each 
day,  in  quantities  not  less  than  a  barrow  load.  To  every 
barrow  load  of  droppings  add  one-fourth  the  quantity  of 
fresh  loam  from  a  pasture  or  sod  land,  or  soil  of  any  kind 
that  has  not  been  manured  (the  objection  to  old  manured 
soil  being  that  it  may  contain  the  spores  of  spurious 
fungi).  Let  the  droppings  and  soil  be  mixed  together 
day  by  day,  as  the  manure  can  be  procured  ;  or,  if  they 
can  be  had  all  at  once  in  sufficient  quantity,  so  much  the 
better.  Let  the  heap  (which  should  be  under  cover,  so 
as  not  to  get  wet)  be  turned  every  day,  so  that  it  is  not 
allowed  to  heat  violently  until  you  have  got  together  a 
sufficient  quantity  to  form  a  bed  of  the  desired  size. 

From  the  prepared  droppings  and  soil,  begin  to  form 


MUSHROOM.  337 

the  bed.  A  convenient  width  is  four  feet,  and  the  length 
may  be  as  great  as  desired.  First  spread  a  thin  layer  of 
the  compost,  pounding  it  down  firmly  with  a  brick  or 
mallet,  layer  after  layer,  until  it  reaches  a  depth  of  eight 
inches.  Be  careful  that  the  thickness  is  just  about 
eight  inches,  as,  if  more,  it  would  heat  too  violently, 
and  if  less,  it  would  not  heat  enough.  Into  this  bed 
plunge  a  thermometer.  In  two  or  three  days  the  bed 
will  heat,  so  that  the  thermometer  will  rise  to  one  hun- 
dred degrees  or  over.  As  soon  as  the  temperature  de- 
clines to  ninety  degrees,  take  a  sharp  stick  and  make 


Fig.   138.—  MtTSHBOOMS. 

holes  an  inch  or  so  in  diameter  all  over  the  bed,  at  about 
a  foot  apart  and  six  inches  deep.  Into  these  holes  drop 
two  or  three  pieces  of  "spawn,"  and  cover  up  the  holes 
again  with  the  compost  of  which  the  bed  is  made,  and 
beat  it  slightly  again,  so  that  the  bed  will  present  the 
same  level  surface  as  before  the  spawn  was  put  in.  Let 
the  bed  remain  in  this  condition  for  ten  or  twelve  days, 
by  which  time  the  spawn  will  have  run  all  through  it. 
Now  spread  evenly  over  the  surface  of  the  bed  about  two 
inches  of  fresh  loam,  press  it  down  moderately  with  the 


338  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

back  of  a  spade,  and  cover  up  the  bed  with  hay  or  straw 
to  the  thickness  of  three  or  four  inches. 

If  this  operation  is  finished  in  November  or  December, 
and  the  place  has  an  average  temperature  of  fifty-five  de- 
grees, you  may  look  for  a  crop  in  January  or  February. 
The  bed  will  continue  bearing  about  three  or  four  weeks, 
and  the  crop  is  usually  enormous,  often  producing  a 
bushel  on  two  square  yards  of  space.  After  the  first  crop 
is  gathered,  a  second,  and  even  a  third,  can  be  taken,  if 
desired,  from  the  same  bed  without  further  trouble  than 
to  spread  a  little  fresh  soil  on  the  surface,  giving  it  a 
gentle  watering,  and  covering  up  with  hay  as  before. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  that,  after  placing  the  spawn 
in  the  newly-made  bed,  the  earth  covering  is  not  put  on 
sooner  than  ten  or  twelve  days.  In  my  first  attempt  at 
Mushroom  growing  I  failed  two  years  in  succession,  be- 
cause I  pub  on  the  soil  when  the  spawn  was  first  put  into 
the  bed.  By  so  doing,  the  steam  arising  from  the  manure 
was  prevented  from  passing  off,  and  the  result  was,  that 
the  spawn  rotted.  I  believe  this  very  common  error  is 
the  cause  of  most  of  the  failures  in  raising  Mushrooms. 

Another  method  of  raising  Mushrooms  in  winter  in 
cold  cellars,  or  other  places  where  there  is  no  artificial 
heat,  is  as  follows,  given  by  John  Cullen,  of  Bethlehem, 
Penn.,  whose  success  in  Mushroom  growing  has  been 
unfailing. 

"  My  Mushroom  cellar  is  a  structure  fifteen  feet  long 
and  twelve  feet  wide.  Formerly  it  was  a  water  cistern, 
but  with  a  little  alteration  was  easily  converted  into  a 
Mushroom  cellar.  My  plan  of  culture  is  as  follows  :  In 
September  manure  from  horse  stables  is  collected  in  a 
heap,  and  to  that  is  added  one-fifth  of  soil.  To  prevent 
overheating  it  is  turned  over  three  times  a  week  for  a 
month.  By  that  time  the  violent  heat  is  subdued. 

"Making  the  Beds. — Having  obtained  a  sufficiency  of 
horse  droppings  for  a  bed,  in  the  right  condition,  that  is, 


MUSHROOM.  339 

rather  dry,  and  turned  soas  to  expel  the  violent  heat,  a  layer 
four  inches  thick  is  placed  on  the  floor  of  the  cellar  and 
beaten  down  firmly.  Another  layer  of  the  same  thickness 
is  added,  and  the  same  beating  process  carried  out,  and 
so  on  till  the  bed  is  made  of  sufficient  thickness.  I  make 
my  beds  fifteen  inches  in  depth  when  artificial  heat  can 
be  obtained  of  fifty  degrees,  but  in  cold  cellars  the  bed 
should  be  at  least  eighteen  inches. 

"Spawning  the  Bed. — I  spawn  my  beds  when  the  tem- 
perature declines  to  eighty-five  degrees  at  about  three 
inches  under  the  surface,  though  the  heat  in  the  centre  of 
the  bed  may  be  one  hundred  degrees.  The  spawn  is  broken 
in  pieces  of  about  one  and  a  half  to  two  inches,  and  I 
insert  them  about  seven  inches  apart  each  way,  and  so 
deep  as  to  admit  of  being  covered  about  an  inch  with  the 
same  material  as  the  bed  is  composed  of,  firming  it  well 
about  and  over  the  spawn. 

"Soiling  the  Bed. — This  is  done  in  eight  days  from 
the  time  of  spawning.  I  put  two  inches  of  fine  loam  all 
over  the  bed.  making  it  firm  by  beating  it  well  with  the 
back  of  the  spade,  damping  the  surface,  and  passing  the 
back  of  the  spade  over  it  at  the  last  to  give  a  smooth 
finish  to  it.  As  soon  as  the  soil  is  placed  on  the  bed  a 
covering  of  hay  is  placed  over  it  rather  thinly,  doubling 
it  as  the  heat  declines. 

"Gathering  the  Crop. — In  six  weeks  from  the  time  of 
soiling  I  usually  gather  my  first  crop  of  Mushrooms, 
and  cut  from  ten  to  twelve  pounds  weekly  from  a 
space  of  two  hundred  square  feet,  or,  for  the  whole 
crop,  an  average  of  about  one  pound  per  square  foot, 
some  of  them  measuring  five  inches  in  diameter.  In 
gathering  I  draw  the  Mushrooms  out  of  the  bed  with 
a  twist,  so  ac  not  to  disturb  the  roots  remaining,  after- 
ward filling  the  holes  with  some  fresh  loam.  Water  about 
ten  degrees  warmer  than  the  cellar  is  applied  when  the 
surface  of  the  bed  becomes  dry." 


340  GARDENING   FOE   PLEASURE. 

NASTURTIUM,  INDIAN  CRESS  (Tropceolum  majus). 

A  highly  ornamental  plant,  cultivated  i:i  flower  gardens 
as  well  as  in  the  kitchen  garden.  The  shoots  and  flowers 
are  sometimes  used  in  salads,  but  it  is  mainly  grown  for 
its  .fruit  or  seed  pods,  which  are  pickled  in  vinegar  and 
used  as  a  substitute  for  capers.  The  plant  is  of  the 
easiest  culture.  Sow  in  shallow  drills  in  May.  The  tall 
variety  will  reach  a  hight  of  ten  or  fifteen  feet  if  fur- 
nished with  strings  or  wires,  and  makes  an  excellent 
screen  for  shade,  or  for  quickly  covering  up  and  conceal- 
ing any  unsightly  place.  The  dwarf  variety  is  grown 
like  Peas,  and  staked  with  brush,  or  grown  on  the 
garden  trellis. 

OKRA  OR  GUMBO  (Abelmoschus  esculcntus). 

A  vegetable  of  the  easiest  culture.  Sow  in  drills  in 
May,  three  feet  apart  for  dwarf  and  four  feet  for  tall 
sorts,  in  drills  two  or  three  inches  deep.  The  long  pods, 
when  very  young  and  tender,  are  used  in  soups,  stews, 
etc.,  and  are  very  nutritious. 

ONION  (AUium  cepa). 

Onions  are  raised  either  from  ''sets,"  which  are  small 
dry  Onions  grown  the  previous  year,  or  from  seeds. 
When  grown  from  the  sets,  they  should  be  planted 
out  as  early  in  spring  as  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to 
work.  Plant  them  in  rows  one  foot  apart,  with  the  sets 
three  or  four  inches  apart.  When  raised  from  sets,  the 
Onions  can  be  used  in  the  green  state  in  June,  or  they 
will  be  ripened  off  by  July.  When  raised  from  seeds, 
these  are  sown  at  about  the  same  distance  between  the 
rows,  and  when  the  young  plants  are  an  inch  or  so  high, 
they  are  thinned  out  to  two  or  three  inches  apart.  It  is 
important  that  Onion  seed  be  sown  very  early.  In  this 
latitude  it  should  be  sown  not  later  than  the  middle  of 


oxiox.  341 

April ;  for,  if  delayed  until  May,  warm  weather  sets  in 
and  delays,  or  rather  prolongs  the  growth  until  fall,  and 
often  the  bulbs  will  not  ripen.  We  find  that,  unless  the 
Onion  tops  dry  off  and  the  bulbs  ripen  by  August,  they 
will  hardly  do  so  later.  The  best  known  sorts  are  Early 
Flat  Red,  Yellow  Globe  Danvers,  and  JSouthport  White 
Globe.  The  Italian  kinds  best  suited  for  the  Southern 
States  are  White  Queen  and  Eed  Giant  Rocca. 
Two  kinds  are  grown  exclusively  from  bulbs.  One  of 


Fig.    129.— SOUTHPORT    WHITE    GLOBE    ONION. 

these  is  the  Potato  Onion,  or  "Multiplier,"  which  in- 
creases by  the  bulb  splitting  up  and  dividing  itself  into 
six  or  eight  smaller  bulbs,  which  in  turn  form  the  sets 
to  plant  for  the  next  crop.  The  other  variety  is  what  is 
called  the  Top  Onion,  which  forms  little  bulbs  on  the 
stem  in  the  place  of  flowers.  These  bulbs  are  in  clusters, 
and  about  the  size  of  hazel  nuts.  The  bulbs  are  broken 


342  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

apart,  and  planted  in  spring  at  the  same  distances  as  the 
'•sets"  referred  to  on  page  340.     All  mature  in  August. 

PARSLEY  (Apium  Petroselinwri). 

But  a  very  small  quantity  of  this  is  usually  wanted  in 
the  family  garden.  Sow  in  shallow  drills  in  April  or 
May.  A  good  plan  is  to  sow  in  shallow  boxes  as  much  as 
may  be  needed.  They  can  be  placed  wherever  there  is  mod- 
erate light  and  no  frost,  in  the  kitchen  window  or  similar 
place.  By  this  means  a  fresh  supply  may  be  kept  on 
hand  in  hard  winter  weather,  when  it  is  most  desirable 
to  have  it,  either  for  garnishing  dishes  or  for  other  uses. 
The  best  variety  to  grow  is  the  Moss  or  Double  Curled. 

PARSNIP  (FtLstinaca  sativa). 

For  the  mode  of  cultivation  of  Parsnips,  see  Carrot, 
as  their  culture  is  identical,  except  that  this,  being 
hardy,  can  be  left  out  in  winter,  while  in  this  latitude 
Carrots  cannot.  A  portion  of  the  crop  may  be  dug  and 
stored  in  the  cellar  or  in  trenches,  and  the  remainder 
may  be  left  until  spring.  The  Hollow  Crowned  is  best 
for  general  use. 

PEA  (Pisum  sativum). 

The  Pea  is  indispensable  in  the  garden,  and  there  is 
more  satisfaction  in  growing  it  on  one's  own  ground 
than  there  is  in  raising  any  other  vegetable.  If  too  old 
when  picked,  or  stale,  which  is  too  often  the  case  when 
purchased  from  the  dealers,  Peas  have  but  little  resem- 
blance to  those  taken  directly  from  the  vines.  For  an 
early  crop  Peas  should  be  one  of  the  first  things  sown  in 
the  spring.  We  prefer  to  sow  in  double  rows,  which 
saves  half  the  labor  in  staking  or  bushing  up,  and  gives 
nearly  the  same  crop  to 'the  row  as  if  sown  in  single  rows. 


PEA. 


343 


344  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

Double  rows  are  made  at  eight  or  nine  inches  apart,  and 
four  feet  from  other  rows.  Set  a  line,  and  draw  the 
drills  three  or  four  inches  deep  with  a  hoe.  The  seed 
should  be  sown,  as  nearly  as  possible,  an  inch  or  so 
apart.  In  order  to  have  a  succession  of  crops  of  Peas, 
they  should  be  sown  every  two  or  three  weeks  until 
July.  If  successioual  crops  are  grown,  an  average  quan- 
tity for  a  family  would  be  twelve  quarts  ;  if  only  first 
crops  of  early  and  late,  from  four  to  six  quarts  will 
be  sufficient. 

The  new  Pea  Vine  Trellis,  described  in  the  chapter  on 
"Implements,"  is  the  most  valuable  acquisition  to  Pea 
growing  ever  introduced.  We  used  it  the  past  season  on 
over  two  thousand  feet  of  row  in  our  trial  ground  with  the 
most  gratifying  results,  finding  it  not  only  much  better 
for  the  purpose  than  the  ordinary  "pea  stakes"  cut  from 
the  woods,  but  far  more  sightly;  and  taking  into  con- 
sideration that  the  pea  vine  trellis  may  be  used  for  ? 
dozen  years,  it  is  actually  cheaper. 

The  varieties  of  Peas  are  almost  innumerable,  and  new 
sorts — or  at  least  sorts  with  new  names — are  sent  out 
every  year.  They  may  be  classed  in  two  groups,  the 
round  and  the  wrinkled  Peas.  The  round  varieties  are 
the  earliest,  but  they  are  as  much  inferior  to  the  wrinkled 
or  marrow  kinds  as  field  is  to  sweet  corn.  These  two 
groups  are  subdivided  according  to  hight.  The  earliest 
round  Pea  we  have  found  to  be  a  selection  made  by  us, 
and  sent  out  in  1883  under  the  name  of  First  of  .All. 
The  earliest  wrinkled  variety  is  the  American  Wonder 
(figure  130). 

These  two  are  really  all  that  are  needed  for  private  use 
for  early,  while  for  successional  or  late  kinds,  Champion 
of  England  (figure  131)  and  Telephone  seem  yet  the  best. 
But  all  seed  catalogues  now  give  very  full  illustrations 
and  descriptions  of  new  kinds,  which  are  being  yearly  in- 
troduced, and  to  which  mv  readers  are  referred. 


PEA. 


345 


346  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

PEPPER  OR  CAPSICUM  ('Japsieum  annuum). 

The  Pepper  is  sown  and  cultivated  in  all  respects  the 
same  us  the  Egg  Plant,  which  may  be  referred  to.  The 
leading  varieties  are  the  Bull  Nose  or  Bell  (scarlet),  the 
Golden  Dawn  (yellow),  and  the  Long  Rod  Cayenne. 

POTATO  (Solanum  tuberosum). 

Potatoes  are  grown  by  planting  the  tubers,  either  cut 
or  whole,  it  makes  but  little  difference  which.  If  large, 
cut  them  ;  if  small,  leave  them  uncut.  They  are  usually 
planted  in  drills  three  feet  apart,  and  four  or  five  inches 
deep.  The  ground  should  be  prepared  by  first  spreading 
in  the  drills  a  good  coat  of  stable  manure,  say  two  inches 
deep,  upon  which  are  planted  the  tubers  or  sets,  at  dis- 
tances of  eight  or  ten  inches  apart.  In  a  warm  exposure 
planting  may  be  begun  early  in  April,  and  the  crop  will 
be  fit  for  use  in  June.  Some  of  the  small-leaved  varieties, 
such  as  the  Ash-leaved  Kidney,  were  formerly  grown 
under  hand  glasses,  or  in  frames,  to  forward  them;  but 
now  this  is  hardly  worth  the  trouble,  as  our  supplies  from 
southern  latitudes  are  so  early  that  it  is  no  longer  desir- 
able to  force  the  crop.  The  generally  favorite  variety  for 
early  crops  is  still  the  Early  Rose.  Among  other  greatly 
improved  sorts  for  the  general  crop  are  Early  Puritan, 
Vanguard,  and  Beauty  of  Hebron ;  but  there  are  scores  of 
other  varieties  which  have  a  special  or  local  reputation. 

PUMPKIN  (CucurWa  Ftpo). 

Pumpkins  are  still  grown  in  many  gardens  with  a  te- 
nacity that  is  astonishing,  when  it  should  long  ago  have 
been  known  that  they  have  no  business  there,  as  their 
first  cousins,  the  Squashes,  are  eminently  superior  for 
every  culinary  purpose  whatever.  The  Pumpkin  is  a 
valuable  product  for  the  farm,  as  a  food  for  cattle,  but 


RADISH— RHUBARB.  347 

for  nothing  else.  If  people  will  waste  valuable  land  in 
raising  Pumpkins,  they  may  plant  them  the  same  as  di- 
rected for  Squashes. 

RADISH  (Raplianus  sativus). 

One  of  the  first  vegetables  that  we  crave  in  spring  is 
the  Radish,  and  it  is  so  easy  of  culture  that  every  family 
can  have  it  fresh,  crisp,  and  in  abundance.  A  garden 
patch  of  a  few  feet  square  will  give  enough  for  an  ordi- 
nary family.  It  is  sown  either  in  drills  or  broadcast,  care 
being  taken  that  the  seed  is  not  put  in  too  thickly;  from 
one  to  two  inches  apart,  either  in  drill  or  broadcast, 
being  the  proper  distance,  as  usually  every  seed  germi- 
nates. The  best  varieties  are  the  Red  and  French 
Turnip,  and  the  Short  Top  Long,  Red  or  White.  Some 
beautiful  fancy  kinds  have  been  recently  introduced, 
equally  as  crisp  and  well  flavored  as  the  older  sorts,  and 
which  are  very  ornamental  for  the  table  besides.  The 
most  marked  are  the  Round  White-tipped  Turnip  Radish 
and  the  Long  Chartier.  white  tipped.  If  wanted  specially 
early,  the  above  sorts  are  best  for  hot-bed  forcing ;  for 
summer  and  winter  use  the  yellow  and  gray  varieties  are 
preferred. 

RHUBARB  OR  PIE-PLANT  (Rheum  Rhaponticum), 

Rhubarb  may  be  planted  in  either  fall  or  spring,  using 
either  plants  raised  from  the  seed,  or  sets  obtained  by  di- 
vision of  the  old  roots,  taking  care  to  have  a  bud  to  each. 
Set  at  distances  of  three  or  four  feet  apart  each  way. 
The  place  where  each  plant  is  to  be  set  should  be  dug 
eighteen  inches  deep  and  the  same  in  width,  and  the 
soil  mixed  with  two  or  three  shovelfuls  of  well-rotted 
stable  manure.  Two  dozen  strong  plants  will  be  enough 
for  the  wants  of  an  average  family.  If  desired  in  winter 
or  early  spring,  a  few  roots  can  be  taken  up  and  placed 


348  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

in  a  warm  cellar  or  any  such  dark  and  warm  place.  The 
roots,  if  the  cellar  is  dark,  may  be  put  in  a  box  with 
earth  around  them,  or,  if  in  a  light  cellar,  they  may  be 
put  in  the  bottom  of  a  barrel  with  earth,  and  the  top 
covered.  The  only  care  needed  is  to  see  that  the  roots 
do  not  get  too  dry,  though  water  is  rarely  necessary  when 
the  plants  are  placed  in  a  dark  cellar.  The  useful  por- 
tions are  the  long  and  thick  leaf-stalks,  and  these,  when 


Fig.  132.— ST.  MARTIN'S  RHUBARB. 

forced,  are  much  finer  in  flavor  than  when  grown  exposed 
to  air  and  light  in  the  open  garden.  The  plants  in  the 
open  ground  should  have  the  flower  stalks  cut  away  as 
they  appear.  In  gathering  do  not  cut  the  leaf  stalks,  as 
they  will  readily  come  away  by  a  sidewise  pull,  and  leave 
no  remnant  to  decay.  The  varieties  are  Myatt's,  Linnaeus, 
Victoria,  and  the  new  variety  known  as  St.  Martin's 
(figure  132),  which  has  a  distinct  gooseberry  flavor. 


SALSIFY— SEA   KALE.  349 

SALSIFY  OR  OYSTER  PLANT  ( Tragopogon  porrifolius). 

The  culture  of  this  vegetable  is  the  same  in  all  respects 
as  for  Carrots,  which  see.  Like  the  Parsnip,  it  is  hardy, 
and  can  be  left  out  during  winter  in  any  district  without 
injury  from  frost.  It  is  rapidly  becoming  more  popular. 
It  is  stewed  like  Parsnips  or  Carrots,  is  used  to  make 
soup,  which  has  a  decided  flavor  of  the  oyster,  or  is  first 
parboiled  and  then  fried.  There  is  but  one  kind. 

SCORZONERA  OR  BLACK  SALSIFY  (Scorzonera  Hispantca). 

This  is  somewhat  different  in  flavor  from  Salsify,  and 
is  preferred  to  it  by  many.  It  has  much  broader  leaves, 
but  is  cultivated  and  used  in  the  same  manner. 

SEA  KALE  (Crambe  mantima). 

Sea  Kale  is  a  favorite  vegetable  in  European  gardens, 
but  here,  as  yet,  almost  unknown.  Anticipating  that  at 
no  distant  day  it  may  be  as  generally  cultivsit^d  as  it  de- 
serves to  be,  I  briefly  describe  the  mode  of  culture.  The 
seeds  of  Sea  Kale  should  be  sown  in  the  greenhouse,  or 
in  a  slight  hot-bed  in  February  or  March,  and  when  the 
plants  are  an  inch  or  two  in  hight,  they  should  be  potted 
in  two  or  three-inch  pots,  and  placed  in  a  cold  frame  to 
harden,  until  sufficiently  strong  to  be  planted  in  the 
open  ground.  They  should  then  be  set  out  in  rows  three 
feet  apart,  with  two  feet  between  the  plants,  on  land  en- 
riched as  for  any  ordinary  cabbage  crop.  If  the  plants 
and  the  soil  in  which  they  have  been  planted  are  both 
good,  and  cultivation  has  been  properly  attended  to,  by 
keeping  the  plants  well  hoed  during  the  summer,  they 
will  have  "crowns"  strong  enough  to  give  a  crop  the  next 
season.  In  the  northern  states  it  will  be  necessary  to 
cover  the  TOAVS  with  three  or  four  inches  of  leaves,  to  pro- 
tect the  plants  from  frost.  Sea  Kale  is  only  fit  for  use 


350 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


when  "  blanched ;"  and  to  effect  this,  on  the  approach 
of  spring  the  "  crowns  "  should  be  covered  with  some 
light  material,  such  as  sand  or  leaf  mold,  to  the  depth  of 
twelve  or  fifteen  inches,  so  that  the  young  shoots,  being 
thus  excluded  from  the  light,  will  become  blanched  in 
growing  through  this  covering. 
Sometimes  cans  made  for  the 
purpose,  or  large  flower  pots,  or 
even  wooden  boxes,  are  inverted 
over  the  plants,  the  object  in 
each  case  being  to  exclude  the 
light.  If  it  is  desired  to  force 
Sea  Kale,  or  forward  it  earlier, 
the  materials  used  to  make  hot- 
beds, leaves  or  stable  manure, 
are  heaped  over  the  pots  or  cans 
in  a  sufficient  quantity  to  gener- 
ate the  proper  heat  to  forward 
or  force  on  the  growth  of  the 
plants.  The  young  shoots  are  cut  from  the  plant  before 
the  leaves  are  developed,  and  when  cooked,  have  a  flavor 
something  between  Asparagus  and  Cauliflower,  but  by 
most  persons  much  preferred  to  either.  The  engraving 
(6gure  133)  shows  young  shoots  when  ready  for  the  table. 

SHALLOTS  (Allium  Ascalonicum). 

A  plant  of  the  Onion  genus,  which  is  cultivated  by  set- 
ting out  the  divided  bulbs  in  September  in  rows  a  foot 
apart,  allowing  six  inches  between  them.  It  is  entirely 
hardy,  and  fit  for  use  in  early  spring. 

SPINACH  (Spinacia  olei-acea). 

Spinach  is  a  vegetable  of  easy  culture.  The  seed  may  be 
sown  either  in  spring  or  fall.  If  in  the  fall,  the  proper  time 
is  from  the  10th  to  the  25th  of  September,  in  rows  one  foot 


Fig.  133. — SEA   KALE. 


SPINACH.  351 

apart.  Sow  rather  thickly.  Cover  the  plants  with  two 
or  three  inches  of  hay  or  leaves  on  the  approach  of  severe 
frost  in  December.  When  sown  in  the  fall,  the  crop,  of 
course,  is  ready  for  use  much  earlier  than  when  sown 
in  the  spring,  as  half  the  growth  is  made  in  the  fall 
months.  By  the  time  the  seed  can  be  sown  in  the 
spring,  the  crop  that  has  been  wintered  over  will  becom- 
ing into  use.  To  follow  the  crop  thus  wintered,  seeds 
should  be  sown  in  the  same  manner  in  the  spring,  as 
early  as  the  soil  can  be  worked,  and  another  sowing  may 
be  made  two  weeks  later.  The  variety  known  as  Savoy- 
leaved  is  best  for  winter,  and  Thick-leaved  for  spring. 
About  four  ounces  are  enough  for  ordinary  wants  for 
either  season's  sowing. 

SPINACH,  SUBSTITUTES  FOE. 

In  the  southern  states,  or  even  in  our  northern  sum- 
mers, Spinach  runs  rapidly  to  seed  if  sown  in  hot 
weather,  and  several  plants  may  be  used  as  substitutes. 
Among  these  are  Swiss  Chard,  a  species  of  Beet,  some- 
times called  Spinach  Beet,  or  Perpetual  Spinach.  Young 
plants  of  the  ordinary  Beet  are  by  some  preferred  to 
Spinach.  Ordinarily  Beets  need  thinning,  and  the  seed  is 
sometimes  sown  very  thickly,  in  order  that  there  may  be 
an  abundance  of  thinnings  to  use  as  Spinach,  or  Beet 
greens.  They  are  used  with  the  young  Beet  attached, 
which  should  not  be  thickerthan  an  ordinary  lead  pencil. 
If  larger,  the  leaves  will  be  too  strong.  Another  substi- 
tute is 

NEW    ZEALAND    SPINACH    (Tetragonia   expansa). 

This  is  a  remarkable  plant,  of  low,  branching  habit,  and 
grows  with  surprising  luxuriance  during  hot  weather. 
Single  plants  often  spread  from  five  to  eight  feet  in 
diameter.  The  leaves  are  used  exactly  as  ordinary  Spin- 
ach. The  seed  should  not  be  sown  before  warm  weather 


352  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

sets  in  in  May,  and  the  plants  should  be  set  out  in  hills 
three  or  four  feet  apart  each  way. 

SQUASH  (Cucurbita  Pcpo  and  C.  maxima). 

The  summer  varieties  are,  among  others,  the  White 
and  Yellow  Bush  and  Summer  Crookneck.  As  with  all 
plants  of  this  class,  it  is  useless  to  sow  the  seeds  before 
warm  weather  in  May,  and  the  directions  given  for  Cu- 
cumbers and  Melons  are  alike  applicable  to  the  Squash, 
except  the  distances  apart  of  the  hills,  which  should  be 
from  three  to  four  feet  for  the  bush  sorts,  and  from  six 
to  eight  for  the  other  varieties,  which  "run  "or  make 
a  long  vine.  The  fall  or  winter  Squashes  are  planted  at 
the  same  time,  but  are  allowed  to  mature  or  ripen,  while 


Fig.   134.— ESSEX    HYBRID    SQUASH. 

the  summer  varieties  are  used  green.  They  are  usually 
planted  eight  or  nine  feet  apart,  in  hills  prepared  in  the 
usual  way.  These  Squashes  are  great  feeders,  and  for 
the  best  results  the  soil  should  be  well  enriched,  besides 
the  special  manuring  in  the  hills,  as  the  vines  throw  out 
roots  at  every  joint  to  assist  in  feeding  and  maturing  the 
heavy  crop  they  usually  bear.  The  popular  varieties  are 
the  Essex  Hybrid  (figure  134),  Hubbard  (figure  135), 
Marblehead,  and  Mammoth  Chili.  (For  descriptions  and 


SWEET   POTATO.  353 

illustrations,  see  seed  catalogues.)  Most  of  the  winter 
varieties,  if  kept  in  a  dry  atmosphere  at  a  temperature 
from  forty  to  fifty  degrees,  will  keep  until  May.  A  garret 


Fig.   135.— HUBBARD    SQUASH. 

room  in  a  moderately  well-heated  dwelling  house  will 
often  be  a  very  suitable  place  for  storing  them. 

SWEET    POTATO    (Iponvw  Batatas). 

It  is  useless  to  attempt  to  grow  the  Sweet  Potato  on 
anything  but  a  light  and  dry  soil.  On  clayey  soils  the 
plant  not  only  grows  poorly,  but  the  potatoes  raised  upon 
such  soil  are  watery  and  poorly  flavored.  The  plants 
are  raised  by  laying  the  roots  on  their  sides  on  a  hot-bed 
or  the  bench  of  a  greenhouse,  and  covering  them  over  with 
sand,  about  the  first  week  in  May.  By  keeping  up  an 
average  temperature  of  seventy-five  or  eighty  degrees, 
fine  plants  will  be  produced  by  June  1st,  at  which  time 
they  should  be  planted  in  this  vicinity.  The  plants  are 
set  in  hills  three  feet  apart  each  way,  or  on  ridges  four 
feet  apart,  and  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  between  the 
plants,  drawing  the  earth  up  to  them  as  they  grow,  until 


354 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


the  top  of  the  ridge  or  hill  is  four  or  six  inches  above 
the  level.  The  soil  under  the  ridges  should  be  highly 
manured,  and  as  the  vines  grow  they  should  be  kept  clear 


of  weeds.  When,  late  in  the  season,  they  show  a  disposi- 
tion to  root  at  the  joints,  they  must  be  moved  every  week 
or  so.  This  is  easily  done  by  running  a  rake  handle  or 


TOMATO. 


355 


other  stick  under  the  vines,  and  lifting  them  sufficiently 
to  draw  out  the  small  roots  upon  the  stem.  As  is  the 
case  with  many  other  vegetables  of  Avhich  the  plants  or 
sets  are  raised  in  large  quantities  for  sale,  it  is  better  and 
cheaper,  when  Sweet  Potato  plants  are  procurable,  to 
purchase  them,  than  to  attempt  to  raise  the  small 
number  required  in  a  private  garden.  A  hundred  plants, 
not  costing  more  than  a  dollar,  are  all  that  most  families 
would  require.  The  Nansemond  is  the  favorite  variety. 

TOMATO  (Lycopersicum  esculentum). 

If  any  vegetable  is  grown  in  a  family  garden,  it  is 
almost  certain  to  be  the  Tomato.  Hundreds  of  people 
who  have  only  a  few  feet  of  ground  at  their  disposal, 
manage  to  cultivate  a  dozen  or  two  of  Tomato  plants, 


Fig.   137.— PERFECTION    TOMATO. 

though  they  may  have  nothing  else.  So  well  is  it  knowi^ 
that  I  think  few  of  my  readers  will  require  to  be  told 
much  about  its  culture.  The  Tomato  will  grow  any- 
where, and  under  almost  any  circumstances,  provided 


356  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

always  that  it  has  the  necessary  high  temperature.  It  is 
essentially  a  plant  of  the  tropics,  and  need  never  be  sown 
in  a  hot-bed  here  before  March,  or  planted  in  the  open 
ground  before  the  middle  of  May.  When  grown  in  pri- 
vate gardens,  the  Tomato  should  always  be  provided  with 
some  sort  of  trellis  (see  description  of  Pea  Vine  Trellis  in 
chapter  on  "Implements,"  and  also  figure  136),  or  be 
tacked  up  against  a  fence  or  wall.  By  this  treatment, 
not  only  will  a  heavier  crop  be  obtained,  but  the  flavor 
will  be  better.  When  the  fruit  rests  on  the  ground  it 
has  often  an  inferior  flavor, 
particularly  when  eaten  raw, 
and  is  also  more  apt  to  decay. 
A  few  dozen  plants  usually 
suffice  for  an  ordinary  fam- 
ily; and  if  there  are  no  hot- 
beds or  other  glass  arrange- 
ments on  hand,  the  plants 
had  better  be  purchased,  as 
they  are  sold  cheaply  every- 
where. The  favorite  varieties 
are  the  new  Mikado,  Acme, 
Perfection  (figure  137),  Par- 
agon, Trophy  (all  scarlet  or 
crimson),  and  the  Yellow 
Trophy,  besides  the  Red  and 
Yellow  Plum  Tomatoes,  used 
for  pickling  and  preserves. 

TURNIP  (Brassica  campestris). 

The  Turnip,  if  wanted  for 

an  early  crop,   is   sown   in 
Fig.l38.-WHiTE  EGG  TinniF.      early  spring>  ag  directefl  for 

Beets.  The  best  sorts  are  the  varieties  known  as  White 
and  Purple-top  Strap-leaved,  White  Egg  (figure  138), 
and  Early  Milan  (figure  139).  If  for  winter  or  fall 


8UCCESSIOXAL   CROPS   OF   VEGETABLES.  357 

use,  sowing  should   be  deferred  until  July  or  August. 
The  RuU  Baga  or  Swedes  are  sown  in  July,  and*  the 


Fig.  139.— EXTRA   EARLY  MILAN  TCBNIP. 

earlier    winter    sorts,  such  as  Yellow    Globe    or    Flat 
Dutch,  in  August. 


SUCCESSIONAL   CROPS   OF   VEGETABLES. 

To  get  the  full  benefit  of  fresh  vegetables  during  the 
entire  season,  it  is  necessary  to  sow  or  plant  successional 
crops  every  two  or  three  weeks,  particularly  with  such 
crops  as  Bush  Beans,  Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  Sweet  Corn, 
Cress,  Cucumber,  Lettuce,  Peas,  Eadish,  Spinach,  and 
Turnip.  Even  small  areas  of  ground,  if  well  manured, 
may  double  or  treble  the  crop  if  judiciously  sown  or 
planted.  For  example,  the  ground  first  sown  in  Eadishes, 
Spinach,  Turnip,  or  Lettuce,  in  April,  will  have  ripened 
these  crops  so  that  the  ground  can  be  cleared,  dug  np,  and 
manured,  and  again  used  by  the  first  of  June,  when  such 
crops  as  Sweet  Corn,  Cucumbers,  Peas,  or  Tomatoes  can 
be  planted,  and  so  on  all  through  the  list,  and  thus  from 
May  to  October  the  table  can  be  daily  supplied  with  fresh 
vegetables  for  a  moderate  sized  family,  even  from  a  quarter 
of  an  acre  of  ground,  if  labor  is  given  sufficient  to  sow 
one  crop  after  another  has  been  exhausted. 


358  9ABDJOraN  FOE 


In  concluding  the  section  01  this  oook  devoted  to  veg- 
etable growing,  we  will  add  a  few  general  ''nstructions 
that  may  have  been  omitted  in  the  details  already  given. 
In  sowing  all  kinds  of  seeds,  more  particularly  those  of 
small  size,  be  careful,  if  the  soil  is  dry,  to  "firm'''  or 
press  down  the  surface  of  the  bed  or  row,  after  sowing, 
with  the  feet,  or  a  light  roller,  or  the  back;  of  a  spade, 
more  especially  if  the  weather  is  beginning  to  get  warm. 
Crops  are  often  lost  through  the  failure  of  the  seeds  to 
germinate,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  soil  is  left  loose 
about  the  tiny  seeds,  and  the  dry  atmosphere  penetrates 
to  them,  shriveling  them  up  until  all  vitality  is  destroyed. 
We  sow  nearly  all  vegetable  crops  in  rows,  and  in  every 
case,  as  soon  as  the  seed  is  sown,  it  is  pressed  down  in  the 
drill  with  the  foot,  then  covered  up  level  by  the  back  of  a 
rake  drawn  lengthways  with  the  drills,  and  again  firmed 
by  the  roller  or  back  of  a  spade.  For  want  of  this  simple 
precaution,  perhaps  one-fourth  of  all  seeds  sown  fail  to 
germinate,  and  the  seedsman  is  blamed,  while  the  fault 
is  owing  entirely  to  the  ignorance  or  carelessness  of  the 
planter.  Again,  for  the  same  reason,  when  setting  out 
plants  of  any  kind,  be  certain  that  the  soil  is  pressed 
close  to  the  root.  In  our  large  plantings  in  market 
gardening,  particularly  in  summer,  we  make  it  a  rule  in 
dry  weather  to  turn  back  on  the  row  after  planting  it 
with  the  dibber  or  trowel,  and  press  the  earth  firmly  to 
each  plant  with  the  foot.  We  have  seen  whole  acres  of 
Celsry,  Cabbage,  and  Strawberry  plants  lost  solely  through 
neglect  of  this  precaution. 

Never  work  the  soil  while  it  is  so  wet  as  to  clog. 
Better  wait  a  week  for  it  to  dry  than  to  stir  it  if  wet. 

In  no  work  in  which  men  are  engaged  is  the  adage,  "A 
stitch  in  time  saves  nine,"  more  applicable  than  to  the 
work  of  the  farm  or  garden.  The  instant  that  weeda 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  359 

appear,  attack  them  with  the  hoe  or  rake.  Do  not  wait 
for  them  to  get  a  foot  high,  or  a  twelfth  part  of  it,  but 
break  every  inch  of  the  surface  crust  of  the  ground  just 
so  soon  as  a  germ  of  weed  growth  shows  itself.  And  it 
will  be  better  to  do  it  even  before  any  weeds  show;  for  by 
using  a  small,  sharp  steel  rake,  two  or  three  days  after 
your  crop  is  planted  or  sown,  you  will  kill  the  weeds 
just  as  they  are  germinating.  The  newly  developed 
germ  of  the  strongest  weed  is  at  that  time  very  tender. 
In  my  market  garden  operations  I  had  one  man  whose 
almost  exclusive  duty  it  was  to  work  in  summer  with  the 
steel  rake ;  and  in  a  few  days  after  a  crop  was  planted 
the  surface  was  raked  over,  destroying  the  thousands  of 
weeds  just  ready  to  appear.  Had  we  waited  for  the 
weeds  to  be  seen,  so  that  they  were  too  large  to  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  raking,  four  men  could  not  have  done  with 
the  hoe  the  work  accomplished  by  this  man  with  the  rake. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 
GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 

THE  tool  shed  is  an  important  and  necessary  appendage 
to  a  well-kept  garden.  The  following  list  includes  such 
implements  as  are  generally  needed  in  private  gardens: 

THE  WHEELBAHKOW  (figure  140). — The  wheelbarrow 


Fig.  140. 

is  an  important  vehicle  in  the  garden,  for  the  moving  of 
soils,  carrying  manures,  and  for  conveying  the  products 


360 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


of  the  vegetable  garden  to  the  house  or  place  of  storage, 
and  numerous  other  purposes.  It  may  be  purchased  of 
different  sizes  and  styles,  or  can  he  "home-made"  by 
those  possessing  a  little  mechanical  skill.  Iron  barrows 
are  becoming  popular  where  known.  They  cost  only 
about  one-third  more  than  wooden  ones,  and  they  are 
practically  indestructible,  quite  light,  and  hang  well. 

THE  SPADE  (figure  141). — The  uses  of  the  spade  in  a 
garden  are  too  obvious  and  general  to  need  description. 


Fig.  14L  Fig.  14-2.  Pig.  143.  Fig.  144. 

The  best  in  use  are  the  patent  smooth  back  cast-steel, which 

are  light,  strong,  and  durable,  and  work  clean  and  bright. 

THE  SHOVEL   (figure   142).— The  shovel  is  used  for 

loading,  and  for  mixing  and  spreading  composts  and 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  3f»l 

short  manures.  They  are  made  with  long  or  short  han- 
dles and  round  or  square  points.  Those  with  solid  backs 
and  straps  on  the  handle,  all  in  one  piece,  are  the  best 
and  strongest,  and  are  much  superior  to  those  with 
riveted  backs. 

THE  DIGGING  FORK  (figure  143),  or  Forked  Spade,  is 
used  instead  of  a  spade  to  dig  in  manures,  to  loosen  the 
earth  about  the  roots  of  trees,  or  for  taking  up  root 
crops,  being  less  liable  to  cut  or  injure  them  than  the 
spade.  It  is  much  easier  to  handle  than  the  spade,  and 
by  its  aid  the  soil  can  be  more  readily  broken  and  pul- 
verized. These  spades  are  made  with  four  and  five  tines, 
the  former  being  the  one  generally  used.  An  improved 
pattern  has  the  tines  pointed,  so  that  it  can  be  inserted 
in  hard  or  clayey  ground  with  more  ease. 

THE  MANURE  FORK  (figure  144). — This  is  used  for 
mixing,  loading,  and  spreading  manure,  work  which 
could  not  be  efficiently  done  without  it.  They  are  made 
with  either  four  or  five  tines,  oval  or  diamond  shaped. 
The  oval  tined  fork  is  the  light- 
est, and  a  careful  man  can  handle 
it  with  more  speed;  but  it  is  more 
easily  broken  than  the  diamond 
tined.  The  latter  should  be  given 
to  careless  hands  or  used  for 
heavy  work. 

RUBBER  HOSE  (figure  145). — 
The  usual  garden  size  is  three- 
quarter  inch  (inside  diameter  of 
bore),  though  one  inch  hose  is 
sometimes  used  where  a  large 
quantity  of  water  is  wanted  with 
little  force.  A  great  deal  of  ro- 
guery is  practised  by  hose  man- 
ufacturers, who  put  in  composi-  FiS-  145- 
tion  material  which  easily  rots,  causing  the  hose  to  soon 


362 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


leak  in  places,  though  the  hose,  when  new,  can  hardly  be 
detected  from  pure  rubber,  unless  examined  by  an  expert. 
It  is  therefore  advisable  to  buy  only  from  those  that  you 
can  depend  upon  to  give  you  pure,  or  nearly  pure,  rubber 
hose.  Although  it  costs  a  little  more  to  begin  with,  it 
will  outlast  the  other  four  times  over.  A  recent  intro- 
duction, known  as  ''Armored  Hose,"  we  have  used  for 
over  a  year.  It  has  wire  twisted  around  the  hose,  thus 
saving  it  from  friction  in  dragging.  It  looks  as  if  it 
would  be  six  times  more  durable  than  common  hose. 

THE  HOSE  REEL  (figure  146)  will  be  found  useful  for 
transporting  the  hose  to  various  parts  of  the  garden  or 
lawn.  It  also  drains  the  hose  in  winding  it  up,  making 
it  last  longer. 

HAND  CULTIVATORS  (figure  146). — With  these  imple- 
ments a  great  variety  of  garden  work  can  be  done,  such 
as  hoeing,  cultivating,  weeding,  making  drills,  earthing 


The  "  Planet  Jr."  Doubl-  Wheel " 

Hoe,  Cultivator,  and  Plow. 
Fig.  146. 

up,  etc.,  and  with  greater  speed   and  more  ease  than 
with  an  ordinary  hand  hoe. 

THE  COMMON  OR  DRAW  HOE  (figure  147).— There  are 
several  patterns  of  draw  hoes,  but  the  one  in  general  use 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


363 


is  the  common  square  hoe,  as  represented  in  the  figure. 
Its  uses  in  the  garden  are  manifold,  and  it  has  frequently 
to  do  duty  for  several  other  implements.  Its  principal 


Fig.  147. 

uses  are  to  clean  the  surface  of  the  grounds  from  weeds, 
to  open  drills  for  seeds,  and  to  cover  them. 

THE   PRONG   HOE  (figure  148).— This  is  one  of  the 
most  useful  of  all  garden  tools,  and  is  far  superior  to  the 
blade  hoe  for  stirring  and  pulverizing  the  soil.     It  can- 
not, it  is  true,  be  used  where  weeds  have  been  allowed  to 
grow  to  any  considerable  bight ;  but  then  we  claim  that 
in  all  well-regulated  gar- 
dens weeds  should  never 
be  allowed  to  grow  so  large 
that   they  cannot  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  prong  hoe. 

THE  DUTCH  OR  PUSH 
HOE  (figure  149)  is  some- 
times preferred  to  the 
preceding  for  cutting  the 
weeds  between  the  rows  of 
vegetables,,  a  work  which 
can  be  done  very  quickly 
by  its  aid.  It  is  not  so 

generally  useful  as  the  draw  hoe,  but  is  better  for  the 

special  purposes  of  destroying  weeds. 
THE  WARREN  HOE  (figure  150)  is  a  new  pattern  of 

real    merit.     The  blade  is   heart-shaped,  and    slightly 


Fig.  148. 


364 


GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 


curved,  similar  to  the  mold-board  of  a  plow.     It  conse- 
quently always  scours  bright,  and  works  nearly  one-half 


Fig.  150. 

easier  than  the  common  draw  hoe.     For  making  drills 
and  covering  seeds  it  cannot  be  equaled. 

THE   LAWN    SPRINKLER  (figure  151)  is  attached  to 

*afff  *#  sf?/r^ 

B 


Fig.  151.  Fig.  152. 

three-quarter  inch  hose,  and  sprinkles  the  lawn  a  dis- 
tance of  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  in  diameter,  ac- 
cording to  the  kind  of  sprinkler  or  the  force  of  the 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  365 

water.  It  is  very  valuable  in  dry  weather,  as  it  can 
be  allowed  to  sprinkle  for  an  hour  or  more  in  one  place, 
and  then  be  removed  to  another  portion  of  the  lawn. 
It  is  also  a  pretty  ornament  as  a  fountain.  The  illus- 
tration shows  a  small  revolving  sprinkler  called  the 
"Perfection,"  which  is  simply  stuck  in  the  ground. 
There  are  larger  and  more  elaborate  affairs  with  arms 
and  ball  and  basket  attachments,  which  keep  a  silvered 
ball  continually  dancing  in  the  air. 

THE  REEL  AND  LINE  (figure  152)  are  necessary  in 
every  well-regulated  garden,  enabling  us  to  plant  in 
straight  and  accurate  rows.  The  best  lines  are  those  of 
braided  linen,  which  will  not  stretch  nor  kink.  Wind 
upon  the  reel  when  not  in  use. 

PRUNING  AND  BUDDING  KNIVES  (figure  153)  are  nec- 
essary to  every  gardener.  They  are  of  different  sizes 


Fig.  153. 

and  shapes,  for  the  various  purposes  of  grafting,  bud- 
ding, etc.,  and  are  made  of  the  best  steel. 

GRAPE  SCISSORS  (figure  154).— These  are  slender- 
pointed  scissors,  used  for  thinning  out  the  berries  of 
foreign  grapes  when  they  are  about  a  quarter  grown,  so 


366 


GARDENING  FOB  PLEASURE. 


that  those  that  are  left  may  have  room  to  develop.  This 
operation  should  never  be  neglected  if  large  berries  and 
well-shaped  bunches  are  desired. 

FLOWER  GATHERERS  (figure  155). — A  very  useful 
article.  The  scissors  cut  off,  and  at  the  same  time  hold 
fast  the  flower  or  fruit  after  it  is  cut,  thus  enabling  one 


Fig.  154.  Fig.  155. 

to  reach  much  farther  to  cut  flowers  or  fruits  than  if 
both  hands  had  to  be  used.  It  is  particularly  useful 
in  gathering  rose-buds,  as  the  stem  can  be  cut  off  with 
but  little  danger  from  the  thorns. 

THE  GARDEN  TROWEL  (figure  156)  is  used  for  setting 
the  smaller  kinds  of  plants  when  transferred  from  pots 


Fig.  156. 

to  the  open  ground,  for  transplanting  annuals,  and  for 
many  other  uses.    It  is  a  very  necessary  little  implement. 

LAWN  SCYTHE  (figure  157). — The  lawn  scythe  is  now 
but  little  used,  the  lawn  mower  taking  its  place,  unless 


Fig.  157. 

on  hill-sides  or  among  trees  or  shrubs,  where  the  lawn 
mower  cannot  be  worked. 

LAWN  MOWERS  (figure  158). — The  great  improve- 
ments in  Lawn  Mowers  during  the  past  few  years,  and 
the  low  price  at  which  they  may  now  be  obtained,  have 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  367 

made  their  use  common  in  every  garden.  They  are  of 
many  sizes,  from  the  small  machine  that  can  be  easily 
worked  by  a  boy,  and  admirably  adapted  for  city  garden 
plots,  to  the  large  horse  mowers,  that  may  be  daily  seen 
in  use  in  our  larger  parks.  In  buying  a  lawn  mower, 
always  be  sure  that  it  is  light  running ;  that  it  will  cut 
high  grass;  that  all  wear  can  be  taken  up,  and  that  it  is 
simple.  "Side-wheel  mowers"  are  always  to  be  pre- 


^ 

Fig.  158. 

ferred  on  ordinary  lawns,  as  they  run  much  easier  than 
a  "  roller  mower."  The  latter  has  one  advantage  only, 
and  that  is  in  cutting  on  a  narrow  border  where  a  side- 
wheel  mower  would  run  off  on  the  side.  But  the  benefit 
derived  by  a  lawn  from  the  rolling  received  by  a  "roller 
mower"  is  in  theory  only,  as  the  roller  is  not  heavy 
enough  to  be  of  any  actual  benefit,  while  it  is  heavy  enough 
to  make  the  machine  run  hard.  If  you  wish  to  roll  your 
lawn,  get  a  roller  that  will  weigh  not  less  than  three  him- 


388  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

dred  pounds.  Grass  Soxes  can  now  be  furnished  on  the 
new  Henderson  Lawn  Mowers  for  collecting  the  cut  grass. 
This  is  very  desirable  in  some  cases,  particularly  in  tennis 
courts,  croquet  grounds,  etc. ;  but  I  do  not  advise  this  in 
other  cases,  especially  if  the  lawn  is  fully  exposed  to  the 
hot  sun.  The  cut  grass  in  this  case  acts  as  a  mulch,  and 
prevents  the  sun  from  drying  the  roots  out. 

THE  GARDEN  ROLLER  (figure  159). — The  benefit  de- 
rived from  using  a  roller  on  the  lawn,  especially  in  the 
spring,  is  not  fully  understood.  The  action  of  freezing 


Fig.  150. 

end  thawing  causes  the  ground  to  heave,  and  if  it  is  not 
firmly  pressed  back  with  a  roller  before  hot  weather  the 
grass  is  apt  to  be  killed  or  injured,  leaving  the  lawn  full 
of  bare  spots.  For  use  on  the  lawn  always  take  a  "  two 
or  three  section"  as  they  can  be  turned  without  injuring 
the  grass.  "  One  section"  will  be  preferable  for  walks, 
as  they  leave  no  mark.  Boilers  having  weights  attached 
to  the  central  shaft,  that  can  be  unhooked  and  removed 
when  lighter  weight  is  desirable,  are  the  best.  These 
weights  always  keep  the  handle  up  from  the  ground,  and 
out  of  the  way. 


GABDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


369 


THE  LAWN  RAKE  is  used  for  raking  off  lawns  pre- 
vious to  and  after  using  the  scythe  or  lawn  mower, 
and  for  removing  dead  leaves  and  other  rubbish.  An 
improvement  over  the  old  22-teeth  wooden  rake  is 


Fi<r.  160. 

the  Steel  Wire  Ralce  (figure  160).  The  teeth  are  so 
made  that  they  will  not  catch  in  the  roots.  It  rides 
over  the  grass  in  place  of  having  to  be  held  up,  mak- 
ing the  work  easier. 

THE  GARDEN  RAKE  (figure  161)  is  used  to  level  the 
surface  of  the  ground  after  it  has  been  spaded  or  hoed, 
and  to  prepare  it  for  the  reception  of  seeds  or  Dlants. 
Rakes  are  made  of  different  sizes,  for  convenience  in 
using  between  rows  of  plants,  with  from  six  to  sixteen 
teeth.  When  a  crop  like  cabbages  is  newly  planted,  we 


Fig.  161. 

use  the  rake  in  preference  to  anything  else,  as  raking 
over  the  surface  before  the  weeds  start  to  grow,  destroys 
the  germ  of  the  weed,  never  allowing  it  to  appear  at  all. 
One  of  the  best  garden  rakes  made  is  the  "bow  rake" 
(figure  162),  which  will  not  break,  like  an  ordinary 
garden  rake,  where  the  handle  is  fastened  in  the  center 
of  the  head. 


370 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


THE  GRASS  EDGING  KNIFE  (figure  163)  is  used  for 
cutting  the  grass  edgings  of  flower  bods,  its  rounded 


Fig.  162.  Fig.  163. 

edge  fitting  into  curved  lines,  for  which  the  spade  would 
be  unsuitable. 

THE  GRASS  HOOK  (figure  164).— This  is  a  most 
useful  implement  for  switching  around 
and  trimming  off  grass  under  hedges, 
bushes,  fences,  etc. 


GRASS   EDGING   OR   BORDER    SHEARS 
(figure    165).— No    lawn    looks    finished 
unless  the  overhanging  grass  around  the 
edges  of  the  borders  has  been  trimmed. 
Fig.  164.         The  shears   here  shown  are  the  best  for 
the  purpose  that  we  know  of.     They  can  be  procured 
with  a  wheel  at  the  heel   of  the  blade,  so  that  the 


Fig.  165. 

shears  can  be  rolled  along  on  the  ground ;   but  old 
gardeners  generally  prefer  them  without. 

HEDGE  SHEARS  (figure  166)  are  better  fitted  for  clip- 
ping hedges  thnn  the  Bill  Hook  sometimes  used  for  the 
purpose,  particularly  in  inexperienced  hands.  A  line 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


371 


should  be  set  at  the  hight  to  which  the  hedge  is  to  be 
cut,  as  a  guide  to  work  by.  The  notch  near  the  heel  of 
the  blade  of  all  improved  shears  is  to  catch  strong 
branches,  which  would  otherwise  slide  out  when  an 
effort  was  made  to  cut  them. 

HAND-PRUNING  SHEARS  (figures  167  and  168).— These 
are  very  efficient  and  useful,  and  will  cut  off 
a  small  branch  as  clean  as  a  knife.     They  are 
indispensable  in  pruning  small  trees  and  vines, 
and  for  use  in  grapery  and  garden. 


Fi~.  166.  Fig.  167.         Fig.  168. 

LOPPING  OR  BRANCH  PRUNING  SHEARS  (figure  169). 
— These  are  powerful  shears  for  cutting  large  branches. 
They  have  wooden  handles  from  two  to  three  feet  long, 
which  enable  the  operator  to  reach  up  a  considerable 


Fig.  169. 

distance.  For  thinning  out  and  trimming  up  old  shrubs, 
such  as  Lilac  bushes,  they  cannot  be  equaled.  Figure 
170  shows  another  style,  called  the  Slide  Cut  Lopping 
Shears.  These  are  so  made  that  the  cutting  blade  is 
drawn  through  the  branch  like  a  knife,  which  prevents 
bruising  and  crushing. 


372 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


POLE  TREE  PRUNER  (figures  171  and  172).— With 
this  implement  branches  of  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
and  less  in  diameter  can  be  trimmed  from  almost  any 


Fig.  172. 


Fig.  170. 


Fig.  171. 


part  of  a  tree  without  the  trouble  and  risk 
of  climbing  or  standing  on  a  ladder.  The 
newer  patterns  can  be  attached  to  poles 
of  any  length,  and  operated  by  a  rope. 
A  spring  throws  the  knife  back  after  the 
branch  has  been  cut. 

THISTLE  AND  WEED  CUTTER  (figure  173). 
— With  this  tool  all  sorts  of  weeds  can  be 
cut  out  of  the  lawn  without  breaking  the 
surface  of  the  sod.     The  projection  on  the 
side  is  to  press  the  foot  on  for  large  roots,       Fig.  173. 
and  places  where  the  scythe  or  lawn  mower  cannot  be 
used,  or  where  the  place  to  be  cut  is  small. 

MOLE  TRAPS  (figure  174). — Where  moles  are  prevalent 
in  lawns,  flower  beds,  and  bulb  beds,  they  can  be  effectu- 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


373 


ally  got  rid  of  by  using  a  first-class  trap.  The  one  we 
here  illustrate  is,  we  believe,  the  best  we  have  ever  used. 
It  is  called  "  Hale's  Perfect  Mole  Trap."  To  be  success- 
ful, however,  a  person  should  know  where  to  set  a  trap, 
as  any  "  run "  will  not  always  do.  Moles  go  through 
some  "runs"  regularly,  and  through  others  only  once. 
To  find  a  "  regular  run,"  press  the  ridge  down  with  your 

9  foot  in  various  portions  of  the  grounds. 

An  examination  next  morning  will  show 
some  depressions  that  have  been  raised, 
and  will  show  where  the  regular  runs  are. 


Fig.  175. 


Fig.  174 

THE  PRUNING  SAW  (figure  175)  is  used  for  cutting  off 
branches  that  are  too  large  for  the  knife,  for  removing 
dead  ones,  etc.  It  can  be  had  of  various  sizes,  from  six- 
teen  to  twenty  inches  in  length,  and  can  be  attached  to 
a  pole,  so  that  the  higher  limbs  can  be  reached. 


374  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

GARDEN  SYRINGE  (figures  176  and  177). — The  syringe 
is  indispensable,  and  is  in  daily  use  in  the  greenhouse, 
conservatory,  and  garden.  Syringing  is  necessary  to  keep 

*,eugta  of  Barrel,  13  in. ,  diameter, 


Fig.  176. 

the  plants  in  a  flourishing  and  healthy  condition,  and  pre- 
vent the  attacks  of  red  spider,  and  with  it  fluid  insecti- 
cides can  be  applied.  They  are  made  of  several  sizes  and 

Length  of  Barrel,  18  In.;  diameter,  V/v 


Fig.  177. 

patterns,  and  fitted  with  roses  for  dispersing  water  with 
varying  force  and  fine  or  coarse  sprays. 

THE  WATER  BARREL  AND  TRUCK  (figure  178).— -A 
very  useful  combination  for  carrying  water  and  other 
fluids.  The  barrel  can  be  instantly  detached,  so  that  the 
truck  can  be  used  for  conveying  other  barrels  for  various 
purposes.  The  barrel  is  exactly  balanced  over  the  axle, 


Fig.  178. 

and  therefore  no  lifting  or  down  pressure  on  the  handles 
is  needed  in  transportation.  It  is  sometimes  rigged  up 
with  a  sprinkling  attachment  for  sprinkling  lawns,  and 
a  portable  hand  pump  can  be  attached  to  throw  water 
and  insecticides  over  shrubs,  plants,  etc.  The  tires  are 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  375 

two  and  a  half  inches  broad,  to  prevent  cutting  into 
soft  ground.  A  box  can  also  be  attached  after  the 
barrel  has  been  removed,  making  a  very  convenient 
hand-cart. 

THE  GARDEN  ENGINE  (figure  179)  is  an  important 
adjunct  to  the  garden.  It  is  especially  valuable  for  pre- 
venting the  ravages  of  insects  on  trees  where  they  can 
not  be  reached  with  an  implement  less  powerful.  The 
rapid  increase  of  insects,  worms,  etc.,  in  some  portions 
of  the  country,  whereby  fruit  is  destroyed  and  trees 
injured,  renders  it  necessary  to  wage  continual  war 


Fig.  179. 

against  them,  and  it  can  be  successfully  done  by  spray- 
ing with  solutions  of  Paris  green,  London  purple,  kero- 
sene, and  other  mixtures,  without  injury  to  the  fruit. 
The  Garden  Engine  holds  forty  gallons  of  water,  and 
will  throw  a  stream  sixty  feet  high  or  a  spray  forty  feet 
high.  It  can  be  procured  with  a  suction  attachment, 
whereby  it  can  fill  its  own  box  from  a  pond  or  cistern. 


37G  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

WATERING-POTS. — A  watering-pot  is  indispensable  in 
the  greenhouse  or  conservatory,  where  it  is  daily  needed. 
It  is  made  of  various  sizes,  from  one  to  five  gallons  (the 
two-gallon  size  is  convenient),  with  a  rose  for  sprinkling, 
which  may  be  detached  at  will.  The  new  French  pattern 
(figure  J80)  is  much  superior  to  the  old  style  for  ease  of 
handling,  especially  for  greenhouse  work,  as  its  flat  shape 
allows  it  to  be  carried  readily  between  the  benches ;  but 
its  great  merit  is  the  handle,  whereby  it  can  be  held  in 
any  position  without  straining  the  wrist. 

THE  PORTABLE  HAND  FORCE  PUMP  (figure  181)  is  a 
very  compact  and  useful  implement  for  greenhouse  and 


Fig.  180.  Fig.  181. 

garden  work.  It  is  easily  operated,  and  throws  a  con- 
tinuous stream  forty  or  fifty  feet.  It  is  very  effective 
for  watering  shrubbery,  gardens,  or  lawns,  and  especially 
valuable  for  applying  fluid  insecticides,  such  as  Paris 
green  water,  to  trees  and  bushes  that  are  being  ravaged 
by  insects. 

POWDER  BELLOWS  (figure  182).—  For  applying  insect 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


37 


powders,  such  as  hellebore,  Persian  insect  powder,  to- 
bacco dust,  etc.,  to  bushes  and  plants  infested  with 
insects,  or  sulphur  to  rose  bushes  and  grape  vines  to 


Fig.  182. 

prevent  and  cure  mildew.  The  powders  can  be  better 
applied  with  this  than  by  any  other  method,  as  the  force 
given  it  causes  it  to  reach  all  crevices  where  insects  hide. 

A  FLUID  BELLOWS  OR  VAPORIZER  (figure  183)  is  sim- 


Fig.  183.  Fig.  184. 

ilar  in  construction  to  the  above,  the  receptacle  holding 
fluids  in  place  of  powder,  which  is  distributed  in  a  fine 
mist  over  a  large  surface.  It  is  valuable  for  applying 


378  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

such  solutions  as  kerosene,  fir  tree  oil,  etc.,  to  plants, 
etc.,  rendering  their  use  perfectly  safe.  We  also  find  it 
useful  for  spraying  the  foliage  of  plants  before  we  dust 
powders  on  them. 

PLANT  SPRINKLER  (figure  184). — This  is  a  very  useful 
rubber  ball,  holding  from  half  a  pint  to  a  pint  of  water, 
according  to  the  size.  By  pressing  the  ball  with  the 
hand  a  very  fine  spray  is  forced  out,  suitable  for  watering 
cut  flowers,  bouquets,  seedlings,  etc. 

FUMIGATORS. — Figure  185  shows  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete implements  that  I  know  of  for  smoking  green- 
houses, conservatories,  etc.,  without  danger  of  fire,  and 
without  leaving  a  lot  of  litter  behind,  as  is  the  case 
in  the  old  way.  This  fumigator  is  arranged  so  that 
a  handful  of  shavings  or  paper  can  be  put  on  the 
grate,  and  on  these  the  dampened  tobacco  stems.  A 


Fig.  185.  Fig.  186. 

sliding  door  in  front  regulates  the  draught,  and  a 
pan  underneath  catches  the  ashes  and  dirt.  They 
come  in  various  sizes. 

LADIES'  AND  CHILDREN'S  GARDEN  TOOLS  (figure 
186)  — In  all  flower  gardens  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
hand-work  to  be  done.  This  lot  of  small  implements, 
consisting  of  a  trowel,  fork,  rake,  and  hoe,  will  be  found 
very  useful  in  working  on  small  flower  borders.  There 
are  various  sizes  of  these  tools.  Those  with  handles 
about  three  to  four  feet  long  are  really  very  practical. 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  379 

HAND  WEEDERS.—  Indispensable  little  tools  for  garden 
work,  such  as  weeding,  loosening  the  soil  around  plants, 
etc.  They  save  the  fingers  and  work  with  great  rapidity. 
There  are  now  several  styles,  all  of  which  are  good.  We 
give  illustrations  of  the  best.  Figure  187,  Hazeltine's ; 


Fig.  187.  Fig.  188.         Fig.  189.  Fig.  190.         Fig.  191. 

figure  188,  Onion;  figure  189,  Noyes's;  figure  190,  Ex- 
celsior; figure  191,  Allan's. 

HAND  GLASSES  (figure  192). — These  have  been  men- 
tioned under  Cauliflower,  Cucumber,  etc.  They  are 
invaluable  for  starting  and  forcing  young  plants,  protect- 
ing them  from  insects  and  frosts,  and  save  much  annoy- 
ance and  care.  Home-made  hand  glasses,  being  simply 
a  small  frame  covered  with  a  pane  of  glass,  are  very  use- 
ful; but  as  they  exclude  some  light  they  are  not  equal 
to  that  shown  in  the  illustration,  which  is  a  simple 
galvanized  iron  frame  hinged  at  the  top,  so  that  it 
can  be  folded  together,  and  a  number  packed  away 
safely  and  in  a  small  compass.  The  ends  are  of  cloth, 
which  admits  sufficient  air  to  keep  the  plants  healthy 
and  prevent  burning.  The  glass  is  slipped  in  from 


380 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


the   top,  so   that  if  one  is  broken   it   can   be   quickly 
and  cheaply  repaired. 

TRELLISES,  or  supports  for  plants,  are  needed  in  the 
flower  and  vegetable  garden  not  only  for  climbers,  but 
for  keeping  plants  which  have  weak  stems  within  proper 


Fig.  193. 


Fig.  193. 


bounds.  Trellises  for  pots  may  be  purchased  ready  made, 
as  may  those  for  climbing  Roses  and  such  plants.  They 
are  usually  made  of  rattan  upon  a  frame  of  light  wooden 
stakes,  and  some  are  made  entirely  of  wire.  A  person 
of  a  mechanical  turn  can  readily  make  all  that  will  be 


Fig.  194. 

needed.  A  few  engravings  are  given  here  as  suggestions. 
Figure  193  shows  a  useful  support  made  with  a  barrel 
hoop  and  staves.  The  same  plan  may  be  carried  out  with 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  381 

two  or  more  hoops,  and  laths,  if  staves  are  too  heavy. 
This  will  answer  for  Tomatoes,  Raspberries,  and  various 
other  plants.  A  more  permanent  tomato  trellis  is  shown 
in  figure  194,  in  which  slats  are  supported  by  A  shaped 
uprights.  If  put  together  with  screws,  such  a  trellis 
may  be  carefully  put  away  in  the  fall  and  made  to  last 
several  years.  A  rustic  trellis,  like  that  in  figure  195, 
is  often  useful  in  the  flower  garden,  or  it  may  serve, 
when  covered  with  climbers,  to  divide  the  flower  from 
the  vegetable  garden.  It  is  made  of  sticks  of  cedar  or 
other  durable  wood,  set  as  shown  in  the  engraving,  and 


Fig.  195. 

tied,  where  the  bars  across  one  another,  with  strong 
tarred  twine.  With  these  examples  as  suggestions,  one 
will  find  no  difficulty  in  making  more  elaborate  supports 
and  with  other  materials. 

THE  WHITE'S  TRELLIS  (figure  196),  before  referred  to 
in  other  parts  of  this  work,  I  consider  to  be  one  of  the  most 
valuable  of  garden  requisites.  It  is  of  simple  construc- 
tion, so  that  it  can  be  sold  very  cheaply,  the  price  being 
from  six  to  fifteen  cents  per  running  foot,  according  to 
size.  Its  original  design  was,  that  it  should  be  used  as 
a  substitute  for  the  ordinary  pea  brush  or  pea  stakes;  and 


382  GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 

though  for  such  purposes  it  will  be  mainly  employed,  yet 
it  should  be  used  for  all  plants  requiring  support,  such  as 
Lima  Beans,  Tomatoes,  etc.,  and  when  space  is  limited, 
Cucumbers  and  Melons  could  be  trained  to  fruit  on  it 
with  little  trouble;  besides,  there  are  scores  of  climbing 
flowering  plants,  both  perennial  and  annual,  which  can 
be  trained  with  the  best  results  on  the  Pea  vine  trellis. 
We  used  this  new  trellis  extensively  in  our  trial  grounds 
last  season,  and  found  it  aii  admirable  substitute  for 
brush  or  strings  in  staking  Peas,  Tomatoes,  etc.  Its 
construction  is  such  that  the  cultivator  is 
enabled  to  pass  freely  between  the  rows, 


Fig.  196.  Fig.  197. 


thus  simplifying  the  work  of  cleaning  and  picking; 
and,  besides,  it  is  at  all  times  a  neat  and  ornamental 
feature  in  the  garden.  These  trellises  are  strongly  made 
of  galvanized  wire,  with  staunch  wooden  uprights,  neatly 
painted,  and,  with  care,  will  last  for  a  dozen  years. 
They  are  so  made  that,  after  they  are  through  with  in 
the  garden,  they  can  be  rolled  up  into  a  small  compass 
and  put  away. 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  383 

THERMOMETERS  (figure  197). — There  are  many  kinds 
of  these  that  are  useful,  but  none  that  can  equal  the  one 
illustrated,  which  is  known  under  the  peculiar  name  of 
•'sixes,"  or,  properly,  "'  self- registering."  It  will  regis- 
ter both  heat  and  cold,  and  is  set  by  using  a  magnet  to 
draw  the  steel  needles  down  to  the  mercury.  With  this 
thermometer  one  can  tell  the  coldest  and  hottest  degree 
reached  in  the  greenhouse  during  the  night. 

STEP  LADDERS  (figure  198). — The  step  ladder  is 
always  useful  in  a  garden  and  orchard,  especially  during 


Fig.  198. 


the  fruiting  season.  It  is  made  in  different  sizes,  vary- 
ing from  four  to  twelve  feet  high.  The  illustration 
shows  an  improved  pattern  with  extension  top  for  hold- 
ing a  basket  for  fruit. 


384 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


TREE  SCRAPERS  (figure  199). — A  handy  little  tool  for 
scraping  rough  or  diseased  bark  from  trees,  thereby  pre- 
venting insects  from  hiding  and  breeding,  and  making 


Fig.  199.  Fig.  200. 

applications  of  whale  oil  soap  or  other  solutions  very 
effective. 

BILL  HOOK  (figure  200),  useful  for  trimming  hedges, 
cutting  brush,  etc. 

APHIS  BRUSH  (figure  201). — A  splendid  little  brush 
IOT  cleaning  the  leaves  of  plants  infested  with  green  fly 
and  other  insects. 

GARDENER'S  GLOVES  (figure  202)  of  heavy  tanned  goat 


Fig.  201.  Fig.  202. 

or  sheep  skin.     They  enable  one  to  work  among  thorny 
bushes  without  danger  of  having  the  hands  scratched. 

ASPARAGUS  KNIFE  (figure  203). — For  cutting  Aspar- 
agus below  the  surface  of  the  soil.     The  saw-tooth  edge 


Fig.  203. 

is  to  use  where  there  is  danger  of  injuring  the  Knife  edge 
by  cutting  against  stones. 


MONTHLY  CALENDAR  OF  OPERATIONS.  385 


MONTHLY  CALENDAR  OF  OPERATIONS. 

ALTHOUGH  I  have  endeavored  throughout  the  foregoing  pages 
to  be  particular  in  stating  the  season  or  date  at  which  each  gar- 
dening operation  should  be  done,  still  it  may  save  time  to  the 
novice,  and  be  otherwise  of  advantage,  to  briefly  suggest  what 
work  should  be  done  each  month. 

JANUARY. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— But  little  need  now  be 
done  in  either.  In  the  greenhouse  care  must  be  exercised  with 
the  fires  to  protect  against  frost,  as  this  is  usually  the  coldest 
month  of  the  year ;  it  is  also  that  in  which  there  is  the  least 
sunshine.  But  little  ventilating  need  be  done;  but  when  it  does 
become  necessary  to  do  it,  caution  must  be  used.  Be  careful  to 
raise  the  ventilating  sash  only  so  high  tliat  the  heated  air  from 
the  greenhouse  will  be  able  to  drive  back  the  outer  air  to  such 
an  extent  as  not  to  chill  the  plants.  For  example,  occasionally, 
after  a  very  cold  night,  where  severe  firing  has  been  necessary 
to  keep  up  the  required  temperature,  say  to  sixty  degrees,  it 
happens  that  the  sun  comes  out  bright  during  the  following 
day,  so  that  by  noon,  or  before,  the  temperature  may  be  at  a 
hundred  degrees  inside  the  greenhouse,  though  outside  it  may 
be  nearly  at  zero.  In  such  case  the  raising  of  the  sashes  an 
inch  or  two  will  rapidly  lower  the  temperature  of  the  green- 
house, so  that  an  hour  or  so  of  such  ventilating  would  be  all 
that  is  required.  If  the  greenhouse  is  heated  by  flue,  or  even  by 
hot  water  or  steam,  examine  nightly,  that  no  combustible 
material  is  laid  on  the  flue  or  thrown  against  the  chimney  of 
the  boiler.  As  little  fresh  air  can  be  given,  insects  are  to  be 
watched  this  month  closely.  By  the  use  of  fire  heat  a  dry  at- 
mosphere will  be  created,  in  which  the  red  spider  luxuriates. 
Nothing  answers  so  well  for  its  destruction  as  copiously  syring- 
ing the  plants  at  night,  and  splashing  the  paths  with  water,  as 
it  cannot  exist  to  an  injurious  extent  in  a  moist  atmosphere. 
The  Aphis,  or  "  green  fly,"  must  also  be  destroyed,  or  it  will 
soon  cause  great  injury  to  the  plants.  Tobacco  in  almost  any 
form  is  death  to  it,  and  may  be  either  used  by  burning  the 


386  GARDENING    FOR   PLEASURE. 

stems  or  dusted  on  as  snuff,  or  syringed  on  in  liquid  form.  For 
full  directions  see  body  of  the  work. 

Hyacinths  and  other  bulbs  that  have  been  kept  in  the  cellar 
or  other  dark,  coo!  place,  may  now  be  brought  into  the  light  of 
the  greenhouse,  provided  they  have  filled  the  pots  with  roots. 
If  not  well  rooted,  let  them  remain  until  they  are  so,  or 
select  such  of  them  as  are  best,  and  leave  the  others  until 
ready.  In  the  outside  flower  garden  little  can  be  done,  except 
that  shrubs  may  be  pruned,  or  new  work  pushed  on,  such  as 
making  walks  or  grading,  if  weather  permits. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — Pruning,  staking  up,  or  mulching  can  be 
done  if  the  weather  is  such  that  the  workman  can  stand  out. 
No  plant  is  injured  by  being  pruned  in  cold  weather,  though 
the  pruner  may  be. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— Nothing  can  be  done  this  month  in  the 
northern  states  except  to  prepare  manure,  and  get  sashes,  tools, 
etc.,  in  working  order ;  but  in  sections  of  the  country  where 
there  is  but  little  or  no  frost,  the  hardier  kinds  of  seeds  and 
plants  may  be  sown  and  planted,  such  as  Asparagus,  Cabbage, 
Cauliflower,  Carrot,  Leek,  Lettuce,  Onion,  Parsnip,  Peas, 
Spinach,  Turnip,  etc.  In  any  section  where  these  seeds  can  be 
sown  in  the  open  ground,  it  is  an  indication  that  hot-beds  may 
be  begun  for  the  sowing  of  such  tender  vegetables  as  Tomatoes, 
Egg  and  Pepper  Plants,  etc.,  though,  unless  in  the  extreme 
southern  states,  hot-beds  had  better  not  be  started  before  the 
first  of  February. 

FEBRUARY. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— The  directions  for  Jan- 
uary will  in  the  main  apply  to  this  month,  except  that  now 
some  of  the  hardier  annuals  maybe  sown,  and  also  the  propaga- 
tion of  plants  by  cuttings  may  be  done  rather  better  now  than 
in  January.  For  instructions  in  such  matters,  see  chapter  on 
"  Propagation." 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — But  little  can  be  done  in  most  of  the  northern 
states  as  yet,  and  in  sections  where  there  is  no  frost  in  the 
ground,  it  is  likely  to  be  too  wet  to  work  ;  but  in  many  southern 
states  this  will  be  the  best  month  for  planting  fruit  trees  and 
plants  of  all  kinds,  particularly  Strawberries,  Raspberries, 
Blackberries,  Pear,  and  Apple,  while  Grape-vines  will  do  quite  a 
month  later.  One  of  the  greatest  wants,  in  many  parts  of  the 


MONTHLY    CALENDAR   OF   OPERATIONS.  387 

south,  is  reliable  nurseries,  where  such  things  can  be  procured  ; 
and  as  all  such  plants  are  at  this  season  frozen  solid  in  nurseries 
at  the  north,  orders  for  such  things  cannot  usually  be  shipped 
before  April.  Still,  though  something  may  be  lost  by  this  cir- 
cumstance, if  proper  attention  is  given  to  planting,  watering, 
and  shading  (when  practicable),  good  results  may  be  obtained  by 
planting  trees  from  the  north,  as  it  is  always  better  to  take 
plants  of  any  kind  from  a  cold  climate  to  a  hot  one,  than  fronj 
a  hot  to  a  cold. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN. — Horse  manure,  leaves  from  the  woods, 
or  refuse  hops  from  the  breweries,  when  they  can  be  obtained, 
may  be  got  together  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  and 
mixed  and  turned  to  get  "  sweetened"  preparatory  to  forming 
not-beds.  For  detailed  instructions  see  articl^  on  "  Hot-beds." 
Manure  that  is  to  be  used  for  the  crops  should  be  turned  and 
broken  up  as  fine  as  possible  ;  for  it  should  be  known  that  the 
more  completely  manure  of  any  kind  can  be  mixed  with  the 
soil,  the  better  will  be  the  crop,  and.  of  course,  if  it  is  dug  or 
plowed  in  in  large,  unbroken  lumps,  it  cannot  be  properly  com- 
mingled. Cauliflower,  Cabbage,  and  Lettuce  seeds  for  early 
crops  should  be  sown  in  hot-bed  or  greenhouse  this  month. 


MARCH. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— Brighter  sunshine  and 
longer  days  will  now  begin  to  show  their  effects  by  a  rapid 
growth  of  plants  in  the  greenhouse,  and  also  in  those  of  the 
parlor  or  window  garden.  Examine  all  plants  that  are  grow- 
ing vigorously  and  are  healthy,  and  if  the  roots  have  struck  to 
the  sides  of  the  pot  and  matted  the  "ball"  of  earth,  then  they 
must  be  shifted  into  larger  sized  pots.  If  this  is  long  neglected 
the  plants  are  certain  to  suffer  in  consequence.  For  details  of 
operations  see  chapter  on  "Potting."  The  plants  propagated 
last  month  may  now  need  shifting  also,  and  propagation  should 
continue  of  all  plants  that  are  likely  to  be  wanted.  If  propaga- 
tion is  put  off  much  later,  most  plants  would  not  be  large  enough 
if  needed  for  bedding  purposes  in  the  flower  garden  in  summer. 
The  hardier  kinds  of  annuals  may  now  be  sown.  It  is  best 
done  in  boxes,  as  recommended  in  chapter  on  "Propagation  by- 
Seeds."  Lawns  may  now  be  raked  off  and  top-dressed  (if  it 
was  not  done  in  the  fall)  with  short  manure  or  rich  garden 


388  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

earth  mixed  with  one-tenth  part  of  bone  dust  or  similar  fertil- 
izer, where  manure  is  not  obtainable,  and  on  light  soils  flower 
beds  may  be  dug  up  so  as  to  forward  the  work  preparatory  to 
the  coming  of  the  busy  season. 

FRUIT  GARDEN.— In  light,  diy  soils  planting  may  be  safely 
done  in  many  sections,  but  we  again  caution  the  inexperienced 
not  to  get  impatient  and  begin  to  plant  before  the  ground  is 
dry.  It  is  bad  to  do  so  even  in  light,  sandy  soils,  but  in  stiff 
and  clayey  ones  it  will  be  utter  destruction.  Again  at  this 
season,  although  a  tree  or  plant  will  receive  no  injury  when  its 
roots  are  in  the  soil,  should  a  frost  come  after  planting,  yet  the 
same  amount  of  freezing  would  greatly  injure  the  plant  if  the 
roots  were  uncovered  and  exposed.  Thousands  of  trees  and 
plants  fail  every  year  from  this  cause.  Thoy  are  exposed  for 
sale  in  our  markets  with  no  protection  to  the  roots,  and  even 
the  experienced  purchaser  rarely  has  sufficient  knowledge  to  be 
certain  whether  the  roots  of  a  tree  have  been  injured  by  being 
frozen  or  dried  up  by  the  cold  winds  of  March.  It  is  always 
best,  when  it  can  be  done,  to  purchase  direct  from  the  nearest 
reliable  nurserymen.  They  well  know  the  importance  of  hav- 
ing the  roots  properly  protected,  while  in  two  cases  out  of  three 
the  market  huckster  neither  knows  nor  cares. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN. — This  is  a  busy  month.  Hot-beds  must 
now  be  all  started,  and  all  the  seeds  of  the  hardier  vegetables 
may  be  sown  in  the  open  ground  in  locations  where  the  frost  is 
out  and  the  ground  dry.  The  list  given  for  the  southern  states 
in  January  may  now  be  used  at  the  north,  while  for  most  of 
the  southern  states  the  tender  kinds  of  vegetables  may  now  be 
sown  and  planted,  such  as  Egg-Plant,  Okra,  Melon,  Sweet  Po- 
tatoes, Squash,  Tomatoes,  Potatoes,  etc.  For  early  crops  north, 
all  these  tender  vegetables  should  now  be  sown  in  the  hot-bed 
or  the  greenhouse. 

APRIL. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN. — Plants,  whether  grown 
in  the  greenhouse  or  in  windows,  will  require  increased  ventila- 
tion and  water  this  month  ;  and  as  they  will  now  be  growing 
rapidly,  due  attention  must  be  paid  to  shifting  into  larger  pots 
when  necessary,  and  also  increase  the  space,  if  possible,  by  put- 
ting the  hardier  sorts  out  in  frames.  If  plants  are  crowded  at 
this  season  in  the  greenhouse,  they  will  grow  spindling  and 


MONTHLY   CALENDAR   OF   OPERATIONS.  389 

weak.  It  is  better  to  throw  away  the  common  or  coarser 
plants  if  there  is  not  room  for  the  finer  sorts  to  develop 
properly.  Towards  the  end  of  the  month  it  may  be  necessary 
to  partly  shade  the  glass  of  the  greenhouse.  This  may  be  done 
either  by  sheeting  hung  on  rollers  from  the  top,  or,  more 
simply  and  cheaply,  by  making  a  very  thin  whitewash  of  lime. 
This  may  be  spattered  over  the  glass  very  lightly  at  first,  just 
to  mark  the  glass  with  white  spots  as  thick  as  if  a  slight  shower 
should  leave  the  marks  of  its  drops.  The  wash  is  to  be  spattered 
on  thicker  every  week  or  two,  as  the  season  advances.  The 
planting  of  all  kinds  of  hardy  herbaceous  plants  and  shrubs 
may  now  be  done  in  the  flower  garden.  Bulbs  and  all  tender 
plants  that  have  been  covered  for  protection  in  winter  may  now 
be  stripped,  and  the  beds  slightly  forked  and  raked.  Sow 
tender  annual  flower  seeds  in  boxes  in  the  greenhouse,  hot- 
bed, or  sitting-room,  and  the  hardier  kinds  in  the  open  border. 

FRUIT  GARDEN.— Strawberries  that  have  been  covered  up  by 
straw  or  leaves,  should  now  be  relieved  around  the  plant,  only 
leaving  the  covering  between  the  plants.  See  chapter  on 
"  Strawberries."  Raspberries,  Grape-vines,  etc.,  that  have  been 
laid  down  may  now  be  uncovered  and  tied  up  to  stakes  or 
trellises,  and  all  new  plantations  of  these  and  other  fruits 
should  now  be  made. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— The  covering  of  Asparagus,  Rhubarb, 
Spinach,  etc.,  should  now  be  removed,  and  the  beds  hoed  or  dug 
lightly.  The  hardier  sorts  of  vegetable  seeds  and  plants,  such 
as  Beets,  Cabbage,  Cauliflower.  Celery,  Lettuce,  Onions,  Pars- 
ley, Parsnip,  Peas,  Potatoes,  Radishes,  Spinach,  Turnip,  etc., 
should  all  be  sown  or  planted  by  the  middle  of  the  month,  if 
the  soil  is  dry  and  warm,  and  in  all  cases  where  practicable  be- 
fore the  end  of  the  month;  for  if  these  varieties  of  vegetables 
are  delayed  until  the  hot  weather  in  May,  they  will  not  be  so 
early,  and  in  most  cases  will  not  produce  so  fine  a  crop.  It 
is  quite  a  common  practice  with  many  amateurs  to  delay 
garden  operations  of  all  kinds  until  May,  but  all  the  hardier 
sorts  of  vegetables  arc  likely  to  be  later  and  inferior  in  conse- 
quence. Any  one  expecting  to  get  fine  early  Cabbage,  Cauli- 
flower, Lettuce,  or  Radishes,  if  planting  or  sowing  is  delayed 
until  the  time  of  planting  Tomato  and  Egg-Plants  in  May,  iff 
certain  to  be  disappointed. 


390  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

MAY. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN. — The  majority  of  plants 
in  the  greenhouse  or  window  garden  should  now  be  in  their 
finest  bloom.  Firing  may  now  be  entirely  dispensed  with  in 
the  greenhouse,  though  care  must  yet  be  exercised  in  ventilating 
in  the  first  part  of  the  month,  as  we  still  have  cold  winds  in  this 
section.  By  the  end  of  the  month  all  of  the  plants  that  are 
wanted  f  or  the  summer  decoration  of  the  flower  borders  may  be 
planted  out.  In  doing  so,  when  the  ball  of  earth  has  been  com- 
pletely matted  with  roots,  it  will  be  better  to  bruise  it  slightly 
between  the  hands,  so  that,  after  being  planted,  the  water  will 
pass  freely  through  the  "  ball,"  as  it  often  happens  that  it 
is  so  hard  and  dry  as  to  prevent  the  water  from  penetrat- 
ing it,  and  the  growth  is  impeded  in  consequence.  Water 
once  copiously  after  planting  if  the  weather  is  dry.  When 
the  greenhouse  is  not  to  be  used  during  the  summer  mouths, 
Camellias,  Azaleas,  and  plants  of  that  character  should  be 
set  out-doors  under  some  shade ;  but  most  of  the  other 
plants  usually  kept  in  the  greenhouse  or  window  garden 
in  winter,  may  be  set  in  the  ope,n  border,  where  the  pots 
should  be  plunged  to  the  rim  in  ashes  or  sand,  keeping  them 
slightly  apart  from  each  other,  to  prevent  crowding.  Where 
there  are  indications  that  the  pot  has  become  filled  with  roots, 
the  plant  should  be  shifted  into  a  size  larger,  just  as  it  is 
done  inside  the  greenhouse.  As  the  plants  make  growth,  they, 
with  few  exceptions,  should  be  pinched  back  to  cause  a  stout 
and  branching  form.  Lawns  should  now  be  mown  and  edgings 
trimmed  nicely,  and  all  flower  beds  hoed  and  raked  ;  for  if 
weeds  are  not  kept  down  as  they  first  appear,  treble  the  labor 
will  be  required  to  eradicate  them  next  month.  Annuals  that 
have  been  sown  in  the  greenhouse  or  hot-bed  may  now  be 
planted  out,  and  seeds  of  such  sorts  as  Mignonette,  Sweet 
Alyssum,  Phlox  Drummoudii,  Portulaca,  etc.,  may  be  sown  in 
the  borders.  Cuttings  or  young  plants  of  Chrysanthemums,  if 
started  now,  will  give  fine  plants  for  fall  flowering. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — Where  it  has  not  been  convenient  before, 
most  of  the  smaller  fruits  may  yet  be  planted  the  first  part  of 
the  month.  Ply  the  hoe  or  cultivator  vigorously  to  keep  down 
weeds.  If  any  of  the  numerous  varieties  of  caterpillars,  slugs, 
or  worms  make  their  appearance  on  the  young  shoots  of  vines  or 
trees,  a  free  application  of  tobacco  dust  mixed  with  Pyrethrum 


MONTHLY  CALENDAR  OF  OPERATIONS.      391 

or  Persian  insect  powder  will  dislodge  most  of  them.  It  is  best 
to  use  it  as  a  preventive;  for  if  they  once  get  a  foothold,  the 
crop  may  be  ruined. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— Thin  out  all  crops  sown  last  month, 
that  are  now  large  enough,  and  hoe  deeply  all  planted  crops, 
euch  as  Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  Lettuce,  etc.  Plant  out  all  tender 
vegetables,  via.  :  Tomatoes,  Egg  and  Pepper  Plants,  Sweet 
Potatoes,  etc.  Plant  seeds  of  Lima  Beans,  Corn,  Melons,  Okra, 
Cucumbers,  etc.,  and  successional  crops  of  Peas,  Spinach,  Let- 
tuce, Beans,  etc. 

JUNE. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— The  greenhouse  may 
now  be  used  for  hot-house  or  tropical  plants,  if  such  are  desired 
during  the  summer  months.  It  should  be  well  shaded,  and  fine 
specimens  of  fancy  Caladiums,  Dracaenas,  Palms,  Ferns,  and  such 
plants  as  are  grown  for  the  beauty  of  their  foliage,  will  make 
it  very  attractive.  Hyacinths,  Tulips,  and  other  spring  bulbs 
may  now  be  dug  up,  dried,  and  placed  away  for  next  fall's 
planting,  and  their  places  filled  with  such  plants  as  Geraniums, 
Coleus,  Achyranthes,  and  the  various  "white-leaved  plants" 
that  are  suited  for  late  bedding.  Lawns  will  now  require  to  be 
mowed  weekly  in  all  well-kept  places.  It  is  as  much  an  indi- 
cation of  slovenliness  to  see  a  door-yard  that  has  any  preten- 
sions to  be  called  a  lawn  with  the  grass  uncut,  as  it  would 
be  to  seo  a  dust-begrimed  carpet  in  the  parlor. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — If  Strawberries  have  not  been  mulched 
with  hay  or  straw  in  winter,  the  cut  grass  from  the  lawn  is 
a  convenient  thing  to  place  between  the  rows  to  keep  the 
fruit  from  getting  sanded  by  dashing  rains.  Nearly  all  the 
small  fruits,  such  as  Gooseberries,  Raspberries,  etc.,  are  much 
improved  by  having  a  mulching  of  some  sort  placed  around 
the  roots,  which  should  be  done  this  month.  For  such  fruits 
as  require  to  be  thinned,  see  instructions  for  next  month. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN. — This  is  usually  the  busiest  month  in 
the  garden.  Crops  mature  and  have  to  be  gathered,  and  while 
doing  so  weeds  are  apt  to  steal  a  march  on  you,  and  may  de- 
stroy entirely  some  of  your  hard  work  of  former  months,  unless 
you  attack  "them  in  their  embryo  stage,  that  is,  just  when 
breaking  through  the  soil.  A  man  will  hoe  and  rake  over  six 
times  the  surface  of  soil  when  the  weeds  are  in  this  stage  that 


392  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

he  would  if  the  weeds  were  six  inches  high,  and  in  this  matter, 
more  than  anything  else  I  know  of  in  gardening,  does  a  ' '  stitch 
in  time  save  nine."  Beans,  Peas,  Beets,  Corn,  Cucumbers,  Let- 
tuce, etc.,  may  still  be  sown  for  successional  crops,  and  late 
plantings  of  Irish  Potatoes  and  Sweet  Potatoes  will  yet  do  well 
in  suitable  soils.  Tomatoes  should  be  tied  up  to  trellises  or 
stakes,  if  fine-flavored  and  handsome  fruit  is  desired. 

JULY. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN. — But  little  need  be  said 
of  the  greenhouse  this  month.  Watering,  ventilating,  and  fu- 
migating (or  the  use  of  tobacco  in  other  forms  for  destruction  of 
Aphis),  must  be  attended  to.  Keep  th  ;  atmosphere  of  the  green- 
house moist.  The  plants  from  the  greenhouse  that  may  have 
been  plunged  out-doors,  must  be  watched  when  they  require 
repotting ;  and  where  the  roots  have  run  through  the  pots,  they 
should  also  be  occasionally  turned  round,  to  break  them  off;  for  if 
this  is  not  done  now,  it  would  seriously  injure  the  plant  in  the 
fall  when  the  roots  have  run  through  the  pot  and  deep  into  the 
soil,  as  they  often  do.  Plants  such  as  Dahlias,  Roses,  Gladio- 
luses, as  well  as  many  herbaceous  perennial  and  annual  plants, 
will  now  require  staking.  Be  careful  to  proportion  the  size 
of  the  stake  to  that  of  the  plant,  and  do  not  tie  it  too  tightly. 
Stakes  painted  green  look  best,  and  the  square  are  nearly  as 
good  as  the  round  ones,  and  much  cheaper.  Carnations  and 
other  plants  that  are  throwing  up  flower  stem?,  if  wanted  to 
flower  in  winter,  should  be  cut  back.  Top  Chrysanthemums  to 
make  them  bushy. 

FRUIT  GARDEN.— If  there  are  any  signs  of  mildew  on  the 
grape-vine  leaves,  dust  them  over  with  dry  sulphur,  choosing  a 
still,  warm  day.  The  fruit  will  now  be  gathered  from  the 
Strawberries ;  and  if  new  beds  are  to  be  formed,  the  system 
recommended  of  layering  the  plants  in  small  pots  is  the  best. 
See  "  Strawberries."  Where  Apples,  Pears,  Peaches,  etc.,  have 
set  fruit  thickly,  thin  out  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  the  young 
fruit,  as  by  doing  so  you  will  get  at  least  an  equal  weight  and 
much  finer  fruit.  The  same  is  true  of  grape-vines  and  all 
other  fruits  that  have  set  thickly.  Where  thinning  out  is  prac- 
ticable, it  will  always  be  beneficial  to  practise  it. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— Plants  of  Cabbages,  Cauliflowers,  Cel- 


MONTHLY    CALENDAR    OF    OPERATIONS.  393 

ery,  and  all  similar  varieties  of  vegetables  wanted  for  fall  or 
winter  use,  are  best  planted  this  month,  though  in  some  sec- 
tions they  will  do  if  left  until  next.  See  directions  given  under 
these  separate  heads.  Sweet  Corn,  Beans,  Cucumbers,  and 
Lettuce  may  yet  be  sown  for  late  crops,  and  in  some  sections 
Ruta-baga  Turnips  for  the  main  winter  crop.  Tomatoes  should 
be  kept  tied  up  to  stakes  or  trellises,  and  Sweet  Potatoes  must 
be  hoed  or  moved  to  prevent  the  vines  from  rooting  at  the  joints. 

AUGUST. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— The  instructions  for 
July  apply  with  but  little  variation  in  these  departments  this 
month. 

FRUIT  GARDEN.— Strawberries  that  were  planted  in  spring, 
and  also  those  that  have  fruited,  will  now  be  making  "run- 
ners "  or  young  plants  freely.  All  runners  should  be  kept  cut 
off  close  to  the  old  plant,  so  that  the  full  force  of  the  roots  is 
expended  in  maturing  the  "  crowns'"  or  fruit  buds  for  the  next 
season's  crop.  New  plantations  of  Strawberry  plants  should 
now  be  made  from  pot  layers,  though  they  will  do  as  la'te  as  the 
end  of  September  ;  but  the  sooner  they  are  planted  after  they 
are  rooted  in  the  pots,  the  heavier  will  be  the  crop.  If  plants  are 
wanted  for  fresh  plantations,  about  the  required  number  can  be 
allowed  to  run,  but  should  be  layered  in  pots,  as  recommended 
under  "Strawberries."  Cut  away  the  old  stems  of  Raspberries 
and  Blackberries  that  have  borne  their  fruit,  and  thin  out  the 
young  shoots  to  three  or  four  canes  to  each  hill  or  plant.  If 
tied  to  stakes  and  topped  when  four  or  five  feet  high,  they  will 
make  stronger  canes  for  fruiting  next  year. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN. — Planted  crops,  such  as  Cabbage,  Cauli- 
flower, and  Celery,  should  be  hoed  deeply.  We  do  not  recom- 
mend the  earthing  up  of  Celery  this  month.  Onions  will  in 
many  sections  now  be  ready  for  harvesting.  This  condition 
will  be  known  by  the  tops  becoming  yellow  and  falling  down. 
They  are  best  dried  by  placing  them  in  some  dry  shed  in  thin 
layers.  For  Sweet  Potatoes,  see  directions  of  last  month. 
Spinach  may  be  sown  for  early  fall  use,  but  it  is  yet  too  early 
to  sow  for  the  winter  crop.  Red-top,  White  Globe,  and  Yellow 
Aberdeen  Turnips  should  now  be  sown.  Ruta-baga  Turnips 
sown  last  month  will  need  thinning. 


394  GARDENING   FOIl   PLEASURE. 

SEPTEMBER. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— Towards  the  end  of  the 
month,  in  many  sections,  the  more  tender  plants  will  require  to 
be  put  in  the  greenhouse,  or  housed  in  some  way  ;  but  be  care- 
ful to  keep  them  as  cool  as  possible  during  the  day.  They 
would  be  better  outside  yet  if  it  were  safe  to  risk  them.  Cut- 
tings of  all  bedding  plants  may  now  be  made  freely,  if  wanted 
for  next  season,  as  the  young  cuttings  rooted  in  fall  make 
better  plants  for  next  spring's  use  than  the  old  plants.  This  is 
true  of  what  is  known  as  bedding  plants,  such  as  Geraniums, 
Fuchsias,  Verbenas,  Heliotropes,  etc. ;  but  with  Roses  and  other 
plants  of  a  woody  nature,  larger  plants  are  usually  the  best. 
Holland  bulbs,  such  as  Hyacinths,  Tulips,  etc. ,  and  most  of  the 
varieties  of  Lilies  may  be  planted  this  month.  See  detailed  in- 
structions under  "  Holland  Bulbs."  Violets  that  are  wanted  for 
winter  will  now  be  growing  freely,  and  the  runners  should  be 
trimmed  off  as  recommended  for  Strawberries  last  month. 
Seeds  of  Pansies,  Daisies,  Mignonette,  Sweet  Alyssum,  Candy- 
tuft, etc.,  should  now  be  sown  in  the  early  part  of  the  monvh. 
The  early  part  of  this  month  is  as  late  as  Chrysanthemums 
should  be  pinched  back. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — New  plantations  of  Strawberry  plants  may 
still  be  made  from  the  runners  that  have  been  layered  in  pots. 
The  sooner  in  the  month  they  are  planted,  the  stronger  they 
will  be  for  next  season.  These  plants  will  soon  make  runners, 
which  must  be  trimmed  off  to  throw  the  strength  into  the 
crowns  for  next  season's  fruiting..  Attend  to  Raspberries  and 
Blackberries  as  advised  last  month,  if  not  then  done. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— Seeds  of  Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  and 
Lettuce,  to  raise  plants  to  be  placed  in  cold  frames,  should  be 
sown  in  this  latitude  from  the  tenth  to  the  twentieth  of  this 
month.  The  main  crop  of  Spinach  or  Sprouts  that  is  wanted 
for  winter  or  spring  use,  should  be  sown  about  the  same  dates. 
Celery  may  now  have  the  earth  drawn  to  it  with  the  hoe  pre- 
paratory to  earthing  up  by  the  spade.  Onions  that  were  not 
dried  and  harvested  last  month  must  be  done  this,  or  it  will  be 
too  late.  The  early  or  flat  sorts  of  Turnips  may  yet  be  sown 
the  first  week  of  this  month. 

OCTOBER. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— In  almost  all  northern 
localities,  tender  plants  yet  outside  should  be  got  under  cover 


MONTHLY    CALENDAR   OF   OPERATIONS.  395 

the  early  pan  of  this  month.  Avoid  the  use  of  fire  heat  as  long 
as  possible.  Unless  the  nights  become  cold  enough  to  chill  the 
plants  inside  of  the  house,  they  are  better  without  fire  heat, 
though  the  greenhouse  at  this  season  should  never  be  allowed 
to  fall  below  fifty  degrees  at  night.  When  there  is  indication 
that  the  night  is  likely  to  be  cold,  let  down  the  sashes  that 
have  been  raised  for  ventilation,  early  in  the  afternoon, 
and  thus  shut  up  the  heated  air  until  next  day.  If  there 
is  a  cold  frame  or  pit  at  hand,  the  hardier  sorts  of  plants, 
such  as  Roses,  Carnations,  Camellias,  Azaleas,  etc..  will  do 
better  if  placed  there  until  the  middle  of  November,  than  in 
the  ordinary  greenhouse.  Treated  in  this  manner  they  make 
strong,  healthy  roots,  that  enable  them  to  withstand  the  forcing 
process  better  when  placed  in  the  greenhouse.  Look  out  for 
and  destroy  insects.  See  methods  already  given  in  chapter  on 
"  Insects."  The  planting  of  fall  bulbs  of  all  kinds,  such  as  Hya- 
cinths, Tulips,  etc.,  may  continue  during  this  month.  Dahlias, 
Tuberoses,  Gladiolus,  Cannas,  Caladiums,  Tigi-idias,  and  all  ten- 
der bulbs  or  tubers  that  are  planted  in  spring,  should  be  taken 
up  before  the  end  of  the  month,  dried,  and  stowed  away  hi 
some  dry  place  free  from  frost  during  winter. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — Strawberries  that  have  been  layered  in  pots 
may  yet  be  planted  early  this  month.  Great  care  should  be 
taken  to  trim  off  runners  from  early  plantings.  All  kinds  of 
fruit-trees  and  shrubs  may  be  set  out.  If  planting  is  deferred 
to  the  last  of  the  month,  the  ground  around  the  roots  should- 
be  mulched  to  the  thickness  of  three  or  four  inches  with 
leaves,  straw,  or  rough  manure,  as  a  protection  to  the  roots 
against  frost. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN. — This  is  one  of  the  busiest  fall  months 
in  the  kitchen  garden.  Celery  will  now  be  in  full  growth,  and 
will  require  close  attention  to  earthing-up,  and  during  the  last 
part  of  the  month  the  first  lot  may  be  stored  away  in  trenches 
for  winter.  See  Celery.  Beets,  Carrots,  Parsnips,  Squash,  Sweet 
Potatoes,  and-  all  other  roots  not  designed  to  be  left  in  the 
ground  during  winter,  should  be  dug  by  the  end  of  the  month. 
The  Cabbage,  Cauliflower,  and  Lettuce  plants  from  the  seed 
sown  about  the  middle  of  last  month,  should  now  be  pricked 
out  in  cold  frames.  If  Lettuce  is  wanted  for  winter  use,  it  may 
be  now  planted  in  the  greenhouse  or  cold  frames,  and  will  be 
ready  for  use  by  Christmas.  Rhubarb  and  Asparagus,  if  wanted 
for  use  in  winter,  should  be  taken  up  in  large  clumps  and 


396  GARDENING    FOR    PLEASURE. 

stowed  away  in  pit,  frame,  shed,  or  cellar  for  a  month  or  two, 
when  it  may  be  taken  into  the  greenhouse  and  packed  closely 
together  under  the  stage,  and  will  be  fit  1'or  use  from  January 
to  March,  according  to  the  temperature  of  the  house. 

NOVEMBER. 

GREENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN. — All  plants  should  now 
be  in-doors.  A  sharp  lookout  must  be  kept  for  cold  snaps. 
These  often  come  very  unexpectedly  in  November,  and  as  many 
plants  are  injured  by  frost  in  this  as  there  are  in  the  colder 
months,  when  the  enemy  is  more  closely  watched  for.  When 
fire  heat  is  freely  used,  be  careful  to  keep  up  the  proper  supply 
of  moisture  by  syringing,  sprinkling  the  paths,  etc.  In  the 
flower  garden  nothing  is  now  to  be  done  except  to  clean  off  dead 
stalks  and  straw  up  tender  Roses,  vines,  etc.,  and  wherever 
there  is  time,  to  dig  up  and  rake  the  borders,  as  it  will  greatly 
facilitate  spring  work.  All  beds  where  Hyacinths  or  other  fall 
bulbs  have  been  planted,  had  better  be  covered  with  rough 
litter  or  leaves  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  inches.  If  short, 
thoroughly  decayed  manure  can  be  spared,  a  good  sprinkling 
spread  over  the  lawn  will  help  it  to  a  finer  growth  in  spring. 

FRUIT  GARDEN.— In  cold  sections  the  hay  or  straw  mulching 
recommended  in  the  chapter  on  the  "Stra  \\  berry  "  may  be  put 
on  during  the  last  of  this  month.  Grape-vines  and  fruit-trees 
generally  should  be  pruned  ;  and  if  wood  of  the  vine  is  wanted 
for  cuttings,  or  cions  of  fruit  trees  for  grafts,  they  should  be 
tied  in  small  neat  bunches,  and  buried  in  the  ground  until 
spring. 

VEGETABLE  GARDEN.— All  Celery  that  is  to  be  stored  for 
winter  use  should  be  put  away  before  the  end  of  the  month  in 
all  places  north  of  Richmond,  Va.  South  of  that  it  may  be  left, 
in  most  places,  in  tbe  rows  where  grown,  if  covered  up.  Direc- 
tions for  storing  Celery  for  winter  are  given  under  "Celery." 
The  stalks  of  Asparagus  beds  should  be  cut  off;  and  as  Aspara- 
gus sometimes  becomes  a  weed  by  the  seeds  dropping,  it  is  bet- 
ter to  burn  the  stems  if  there  are  berries  on  them.  Spread  a 
heavy  dressing  of  rough  manure  three  or  four  inches  thick  on 
the  beds.  All  roots  that  are  yet  in  the  ground,  and  not  de- 
signed to  be  left  there  all  winter,  must  be  dug  up  in  this  lat- 
itude before  the  middle  of  the  month,  or  they  may  be  frozen 
in  until  spring.  Onions,  Spinach,  Sprouts,  Cabbage,  or  Lettuce 


MONTHLY   CALENDAR  OF  OPERATIONS.  397 

plants  that  are  outside  should  be  covered  with  two  or  three 
inches  of  leaves,  salt  hay,  or  straw,  to  protect  them  during 
winter.  Cabbages  that  have  headed  may  be  usually  preserved 
against  injury  by  frost  until  the  middle  of  next  month,  by 
simply  pulling  them  up,  aad  packing  them  close  together 'in  a 
dry  spot  in  the  open  field  with  the  heads  down  and  roots  up. 
On  the  approach  of  cold  weather  in  December  they  should 
be  covered  up  with  leaves  as  high  as  the  tops  of  the  roots  ;  or, 
if  the  soil  is  light,  it  may  be  thrown  over  them  if  leaves  are 
not  convenient.  Cabbages  so  packed  will  keep  until  March,  if 
the  covering  has  not  been  put  on  too  early.  Where  small  lots 
only  are  grown,  these  and  Cauliflower  may  be  hung  up  in 
a  cool  cellar,  and  will  keep  for  months.  Whenever  it  is  practi- 
cable, all  empty  ground  should  be  dug  or  plowed  this  month, 
trenching  or  subsoiling,  whenever  time  will  permit.  All  such 
operations,  when  performed  in  the  fall,  not  only  benefit  the 
soil,  but  greatly  facilitate  work  at  the  hurried  season  in  the 
spring.  The  cold  frames  where  Cabbage,  Lettuce,  or  Caul- 
inower  plants  have  been  planted  will  now  require  regular 
ventilation  by  lifting  up  the  sashes  in  warm  days,  and  on 
the  approach  of  very  cold  weather,  straw  mats  or  shutters 
would  be  a  great  protection  to  the  plants.  For  the  Cauli- 
flower this  protection  is  absolutely  necessary  here. 

DECEMBER. 

GErENHOUSE  AND  FLOWER  GARDEN.— We  are  now  fairly  into 
wintev,  and  close  attention  must  be  given  to  protecting  all 
tender  plants.  It  is  one  of  the  commonest  complaints,  es- 
pecially from  ladies,  that  their  plants  "looked  so  nice  until 
one  co;d  night  in  December "  defeated  the  whole  care  of  the 
year  by  killing  or  wounding  hundreds  of  the  cherished  favorites 
of  the  p.reenhousc  or  window  garden.  There  is  no  rule  but 
vigilance  ;  and  as  extra  strong  fires  will  be  kept  up,  look  out 
again  nightly  for  all  combustible  matter  near  the  flue  or 
chimney.  If,  by  sundown,  you  find  the  thermometer  in  the 
greenhouse  or  parlor  where  your  plants  are  kept,  falling  down  to 
thirty-four  or  thirty-fi^e  degrees,  the  chances  are  that  there  will 
be  froct  in  the  house  before  morning  unless  the  fires  are  kept  up. 
If  there  are  not  sufficient  heating  arrangements,  the  best  pro- 
tection, in  such  cases,  is  either  to  set  the  plants  under  the 
benches  or  on  the  walk  if  in  the  greenhouse,  or  move  them  from 


398  GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 

the  cold  point  if  in  the  parlor.  If  the  plants  are  low  and  uni- 
form in  hight,  covering  them  with  paper  or  sheeting  will  usually 
save  them  from  injury,  even  if  the  thermometer  falls  to  twenty- 
six  or  twenty-eight  degrees.  Another  plan,  where  the  heating 
apparatus  is  not  sufficient,  is  to  dash  water  on  the  pipes  or 
flue  in  the  greenhouse  on  cold  nights,  when  the  steam,  rising 
to  the  glass,  freezes  there,  and  stops  up  all  crevices.  All 
mulching,  strawing  up,  or  other  modes  of  protecting  against 
frost  in  use  in  the  flower  garden,  must  be  finished  this  month. 

FRUIT  GARDEN. — Grape-vines,  Raspberries,  etc.,  in  sections 
where  protection  from  severe  frost  is  of  advantage,  should  be 
attended  to  this  month,  by  laying  them  down  as  near  the 
ground  as  possible,  and  covering  them  with  rough  litter  or 
leaves,  or  with  a  few  inches  of  soil,  and  Strawberries  mulched. 

VEGETABLE  GAP.DEV.—  The  final  covering  of  Celery  in  trenches 
or  roots  in  pits  ;  the  Spinach  crop  in  the  ground,  or  any  other 
plant  in  need  of  protection,  must  have  it  done  before  the  end 
of  this  month.  Manure  and  compost  heaps  should  now  be  for- 
warded as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  turned  and  mixed  so  as  to  be 
in  proper  condition  for  spring.  Snow  that  accumulates  on  cold 
frames  or  other  glass  structures  should  be  removed,  particularly 
if  the  soil  that  the  glass  covers  was  not  frozen  before  the  snow 
fell.  If  frozen,  it  may  remain  on  the  sashes  longer ;  for  the 
plants  if  frozen  are,  of  course,  dormant,  and  would  not  be 
injured  by  being  deprived  of  light  for  eight  or  ten  days. 


INDEX. 


A 

Boxes  for  Seeds                           6"i 

Amaryllis,  Planting.  58 

Brcccoli,  Culture  of                   312 
Broccoli,  Varieties  of  313 

Angle  Worm  206 

Annual  Seeds,  How  to  Sow       110 
Flowers,  List  of  109,  1  10 

Brussels  Sprouts...                    3]  3 
Bryant's  Plant  Protector  327 
Budding  59 

Aphis,  How  to  Destroy              202 

Budding,  Various  Methods  of    79 
Bulbs,  Fall  or  Holland                44 

Ground  or  Blue  20.3 

How  to  Grow  in  Pots             44 

Apple,  Culture  of.                     293 

Varieties  of  294 

Tropical                                   80 

Apricot,  Culture  of                      293 

Bush  Bean                                  309 

Varieties  of  293 

Aquatic    Plants.    See   ''Water 
Lily"                                   118 

C 

Aquatic  Plants,  Hardy                141 

Cabbage,  Culture  of  .  .  .              31  6 

Artichoke,  Globe                        307 

Varieties  of                          317 

Artichoke,  Jerusalem                308 

Turnip-rooted                       332 

Asparagus                                     304 

Caladiums                                    81 

Culture  of  305 

Calendar,  Monthly.  See  "Month- 

Varieties of                          307 

ly  Calendar"                    383 

Beetle  307 

Calla,  or  Lily  of  the  Nile  55 

Camellias,  Grafting                      74 

B 

Propae;ating_  66 

Carpet  Style  of  Bedding               ;  2 

Baskets,  Hanging  112 

Carrot  317 

Baskets,  Hanging,  Plants  for    113 

Culture  of                             318 

Bean,  Bush,  Snap,  or  Kidney    309 

Varieties  of                          317 

Bush  Culture  of                 309 

Cauliflower  Culture  of               314 

Bush  Varieties  of                309 

Varieties  of                           315 

Pole  or  Running,  and  Lima  309 

Celeriac  324 

Celery                                           318 

Culture  of                         309 

Culture  of                             319 

Pole  or  Running,  and  Lima, 
Varieties  of           310 

Raising  Young  Plants  318 
Handling  ..  320 

Bedding  "  Carpet  Style  "  of  32  35 

Varieties  of                           322 

Bedding  Plants                       33,  34 

Turnip-rooted  324 

Beet,  Culture  of    311 

Cellar   and   Greenhouse   Com- 

Varieties of                          311 

bined                                 186 

Spinach                                  351 

Chard,  Swiss  351 

Bermuda  Easter  Lily                   47 

Cherry,  Culture  of                      286 

Blackberry                                  276 

Varieties  of...  286 

Blackberry  Varieties  of             276 

Chives                                         325 

Black  Cap  Raspberry                 275 

Chrysanthemum  .                        147 

Culture  of                           148 

of                       '           270 

House  Culture  149 

Blind  Shoots        -  -  66 

Pinching  and  Disbudding.  150 

Earlv  Varieties                      151 

Late'  Varieties  151 

Bone  Flour        19 

Climbers,  Hardy,  List  of  191 

Borecole  or  Kale                        311 

Cold  Grapery                              247 

Borecole  or  Kale,  Varieties  of-311 
399 

Color  in  Flowers,  Law  of  2i5 

400 


GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE. 


Cordon  Training  of  Pear  Trees.  296 

Flower  Beds,  "  Carpet  Style"  32-35 
Designs  for                       31-43 

Varieties  of                          326 

Ribbon  Lines                         38 

Salad  or  Fetticus                  324 

Massing  in  Colors  38 

Conservatories      attached      to 
Dwelling                           164 

Flower  Stand                              157 

Flowers,  Annual                         109 

Cottage  Gardening                     301 

Annual,  List  of     110 

Law  of  Color  in                   215 

Indian                                   340 

That  Grow  in  the  Shade.-  -199 
Flues,  Heating  by      179 

Water                                   325 

Folding  Plant  Stand                    157 

Cucumber  Culture  of                327 

Forcing  or  Hot  Grapery  253 
Frozen  Plants,  Treatment  of  .-208 

O 

Garden  Culture  of  the  Rose  -..91 
Designs                             27-30 

Forcin"4                                  328 

Varieties  of                         -329 

Curculio  or  Plum  Weevil  287 

Currant  Culture  of      .             280 

Varieties  of                   -      282 

Worm                   280 

Cuttings,  Propagating  Plants  by  64 

Drainage  of  10 

Implements-  359 

D 

Deciduous  Shrubs,  Hardy,  List 
of  .  .......MB 

Location  and  Soil                    9 

Preparation  of  Ground  for.  13 
Protection  by  Hedges  9 
Shelter  Important  9 
Vegetable                             SOS 

Dewberry.-.  279 

Vegetable,  Plan  for  304 
Veranda                                115 

Drain,  Board...  -  12 
For  Road  Bed  16 
Rubble  -  11 
Tile       -  --  11 

Walks,  How  to  Make  14 
Gardening,  Cottage  .301 
Parlor  153 

Drainage  for  Garden  10 
Methods  of..  10 
Drive  -  15 

Window  116 
Garlic  331 

Gas  Tar  on  Pipes  Injurious  177 

Width  of  -  15 

E 
Egg  Plant,  Culture  of  330 

Glass  and'  Glazing                     169 

Glasses  for  Hyacinths  47 

Globe  Artichoke                        307 

Gooseberry                                  282 

Varieties  of    -  330 

Culture  at  Paterson,  N.  J..284 
Varieties  of                          283 

Endive,  Culture  of  330 

Varieties  of  331 

Evergreen  Shrubs,  Hardy,  List 
of  !  —  ---.190 

Grafting,  Cleft                              76 

Side                                         77 

Trees,  Hardy,  List  of  191 

Whip                                      77 

F 
Ferneries                                     159 

The  Camellia                         78 

Wax                                        77 

Grape  Cuttings              -             243 

Fertilizers,  Adulteration  of  20 

Grapes,  Hardy.--  .238 

Hardy,  Planting                   239 

Cost  of                                   19 

Hardy,  Covering                  241 

Special                                   20 

Hardy,  Pruning  and  Train- 
lag                              239-241 

Fetticus  or  Corn  Salad               324 

Figs                                             284 

Hardy,  How  to  Propagate.243 
Hardy,  Varieties  of  ..244 

Culture  of                            285 

Varieties  of                          285 

"Finning"  the  Soil.    Its  Im- 
portance                  358 

Mildew  on                            243 

Grapery,  Cold  .  .  .             .          247 

Flowp.r  Beds.  Planting  ...        .  .   31 

Hot-house  or  Forciuar  253 

INDEX. 


401 


Grapery,  Lean-to  249 

Implements,  Garden,  Continued. 
Children's  Garden  Tools.  .378 
Di  'gin"1  Fork                       361 

Grasses,  Hardy  Ornamental  ...198 
Grass  Seed  for  Lawn       ,             24 

Greenhouse    and   Cellar  Com- 
bined    187 

Draw  Hoe                            362 

Dutch  or  Push  Hoe              363 

Greenhouse  Plants,  List  of  155 
Greenhouses  Attached  to  Dwell- 
ing                                    161 

Excelsior  Hand  Weeder...379 
Flower  Gatherer                  366 

Fluid  Bellows  or  Vaporizer  377 
Fumigator                             378 

Detached                              165 

or  Pits   Without  Artificial 
Heat                                  184 

Garden  Engine  .375 

Garden  Rake                        369 

Green  Fly  or  Aphis,  How  to 
Destroy                             202 

Garden  Roller                     368 

Ground  Not  to  be  Worked  when 
Wet                                     13 

Garden  Trowel                     366 

Gardener's  Gloves  B84 

Grape  Scissors                    365 

\lixin°-  with  Earth                 18 

Grass    Edging   or    Border 
Shears          370 

Quantity  to  Apnly    19 

Grass  Edging  Knife.  370 
Grass  Hook             370 

H 

Hanfin""  Baskets                        112 

Hand  Cultivators                362 

Hand  Glasses  379 
Hand  Pruning  Shears  371 
Hand  Weeders                     379 

Filling                          114 

Hardy    Aquatics.    See    Water 
Lilies      .    141 

Hazeltine's  Hand  \Veeder_379 
Hedge  Shears                       370 

Shrubs,  Climbers,  and  Trees 
189 

Hose  Keel               362 

Ladies'  Garden  Tools  378 

"  Hav  Seed"  for  Lawn  24 

Heatin"1  by  Flues  179 

Lawn  Rake                            369 

by  Hotbeds             182 

by  Hot  Water  176 

Law  u  bey  tlies   . 

by  Steam                          -  176 

Lopping  or  Branch  Pruning 
Shears                         371 

Hedges  for  Protecting  Gardens  .     9 
Herbaceous  Perennials,  Hardy  193 
Perennials,  Hardy,  List  of  -196 
Herbs    Sweet                       -"531 

Mole  Traps                             372 

Noves's  Hand  Weeder  379 
Onion  Weeder                      379 

Horticulture,  Humbugs  in  216 
Horseradish                                 331 

Pea  Vine  or  White's  Trellis  381 

Hotbeds  Heating  by  182 

Hotbeds,  Covering  and  Venti- 
lating                              .183 

Plant  Sprinkler                      378 

Hothouse  or  Forcing  Grapery.253 
Plants                          "  ' 

Portable  Hand  Force  Pump  376 

Plants,  General  Treatment.  81 

Humbugs  in  Horticulture  216 
Hyacinths  in  Pots      44 

Prunin0'  Saw                    373 

in  Glasses                    47 

Planting             •*•* 

I 

movie                            370 

Spade                      "" 

Step   Ladder  

Allan's  Hand  Weeder  879 
Aphis  Brush  . 
Asparagus  Knife.-  -» 

Thermometers  «» 
Thistle  and  Weed  Cutter.  .372 
Tree  Scraper  * 

Bill  Hook  .—  —     -3J4 
Budding  Knives  3bo 

Warren  Hoe  «» 

402 


GARDENING   FOR    PL  EASURE. 


Implements.  Garden,  Continued. 
Water  Barrel  and  Track  .-.374 
Watering  Pot                       376 

M 

Manures.     See  also  "  Fertiliz- 

Wheelbarrow                       359 

ers"  .                17 

White's  Trellis                     381 

Manure,  Stable  17 

Indian  Cress                               340 

Martynia  333 

Insects,  Angle  Worm                  206 

Mealy  Bug  205 

Ants.--°_.               ..      .    204 

Melon,  Musk,  Culture  of           3C3 

Asparagus  Beetle                307 

Musk,  Varieties  of               334 

Brown  and  White  Scale.  .  .  .205 

Water,  Culture  of...      ..  3c5 

Curculio  or  Plum  Weevil    287 

Water,  Varieties  of             335 

Green  Fly  or  Aphis              202 

Mildew                                         206 

Ground  or  Blue  Aphis         203 

on  Grapes                            243 

Injurious  to  Plants              200 

on  Roses  99 

Mealy  Bug                            205 

Monthly   Calendar    of   Opera- 

f      Red  Spider                            204 

tions                                  385 

Rose  Bug                  ...IOC,  201 

January  .  .                            385 

Rose  Chafer  -.201 

February...                         386 

Rose  Slug                             201 

March   .                               387 

Thrips                                   205 

April  388 

Instructions,  General  358 

May  390 

June                                      391 

J 

Japan  Persimmon  289 
Jardinieres  159 

July  392 
August  fc93 

Jerusalem  Artichoke  308 
Jonquils,  Planting  44 

K 

October  394 

November  896 
December  ...                       397 

Kale  or  Borecole                        811 

Mulching,  its  Objects  and  Meth- 

ods                                    209 

bage                                   332 

Mushroom,  Culture  of  336 

Kidney  Bean                               309 

Forcing  in  Cellars,  etc  338 

Musk  Melon  ..             333 

I. 

Mustard   -                                   335 

Lath  Screens  212 

Law  of  Color  in  Flowers            215 

Lawn  22 

Ants  on  26 

Narcissus  Planting                      44 

How  to  Prepare  a.  23 

Nasturtium            "                    340 

How  to  Renovate  26 

Nectarine  Culture  of                 292 

Grass  Seeds  f  or  a    .               24 

Varieties  of                          292 

Sodding  a  23 

Weeds  in                               26 

Mowers  366 

Lawns  on  Sloping  Banks  25 

Okra                                            340 

Planting  31 

Layering,  Propagating  by  68 
Leek  332 
LeHuce         *                              332 

Insect  Enemies  of  104 
Varieties  of  341 

Culture  of  ...                  ...333 
Varieties  of  333 

Orchids,  Culture  of  .    101 

Lilies,  Planting                       44-^54 

Water.     See  "Water  Lil- 
ies"        .        118 

Lily,  Bermuda  Easter,  Forcing.  47 
of  the  Nile  or  Calla               55 

of  the  Valley,  Forcing  50 
Lima  Bean  309 

Conditions   Necessary   fur 

Location  of  Garden  ...             .9 

Lifit  of  Plnnt.fi  fnr                1SS    1KA 

INDEX. 


405 


...343 

Parsmp... 342 

Pea,  Culture  of 342 

Grown  on  Pea  Vine  Trellis  .345 

Varieties  of 344 

Vine  Trellis 344 

Peach 290 

Culture  of 291 

Varieties  of 291 

Pear 294 

Culture  and  Training 294 

Varieties  of 298 

Pear  Trees,  Cordon  Training  ..296 

Pepper 34(5 

Pep  per  Grass  or  Cress 325 

Perennials,  Hardy  Herbaceous.  193 
Hardy  Herbaceous,  List  of  .190 

Winter-flowering.. 85 

Perpetual  Spinach 351 

Persimmon,  Japanese 289 

Peruvian  Guano 17 

Pit,  Sunken.'. 185 

Pits  or  Greenhouses  Without 

Artificial  Heat 184 

Plant  Protector,  Bryant's 337 

Plant  Stand,  Folding ...157 

Plants,  Bedding 33-34 

by  "Saucer  System" 66 

for  Summer  Decoration  ...106 

for  Wardian  Cases 160 

for  Shady  Places 199 

Frozen ..208 

from  Cuttings 64 

from  Seeds 61 

from  Layers 68 

Greenhouse 86 

Hothouse  or  Tropical 87 

HowtoPot 83 

in  Rooms : .153 

in  Rooms  Not  Unhealthy  .155 

Ornamental-leaved 107 

Potting    from    tho    Open 

Ground 154 

Re-potting 84 

Temperature  for 156 

Unhealthy 104 

Planting  in  Circles 32 

Flower  Beds . .  31 

Lawns 31 

Plum ...287 

Culture  of 288 

Varieties  of 288 

Plum  Weevil  or  Curculio 287 

Pole  Beans ...309 

Potato,  Culture  of 346 

Varieties  of.. 346 

Potato,  Sweet -.353 

Potato  Onion. 341 

Pots,  Draining 89 


Pots,  Plunging 154 

Proper  Size  for  Plants 89 

Potting  plants 83 

Propagating  by  Layering...!"  68 

by  Cuttings 64 

by  "«aucw  System" 66 

by  Seeds 61 

Woody  Plants 66 

"  Protecting  (jioth  " 185 

Pruning 233 

Wjiere  to  Cut 235 

For  Shape 237 

Grape  V  ines 239-242 

Hothouse  Grapes  ...  251 

Spur 240,251 

Pumpkin 346 


Quince 285 

Culture  of .286 

Varieties  of 286 


Radish,  Culture  of 347 

Varieties  of 347 

Raspberry .270 

Time  to  Plant 270 

Pruning 270 

Winter  Covering 271 

Varieties  of .273 

Black  Cap  or  Thiinbleberry  275 
Varieties  of 276 

Red  Spider 204 

Re-potting  Plants 84 

Rhubarb,  Culture  of 347 

Varieties  of 348 

Road  Drain 16 

Room  Plants,  How  to  Grow ..  453 
Not  Unhealthy 158 

Rose  Bug....        100,201 

Chafer... 201 

Slug 201 

Rose,  Garden  Culture  of 91 

Rose  Growing  in  Winter 94 

Soil  and  Benches 95 

Distance  to  Plant 95 

Ventilation 96 

•      Watering  and  Mulching. ..  96 

Pruning 98 

Varieties  to  Force 98 

Mildew 99 

Bug 100 

Roses,  Propagation  of 66 

Tea  or  Monthly 92 

Hybrid  Tea 92 

Perpetual 93 

Soil  and  Cultivation  in  the 
Garden 93 

Running  Bean 309 


404 


GARDENING   FOR   PLEASURE. 


Salsify  or  Oyster  Plant  349 

Tobacco  for  Destroying  Insects  202 
Tomato                                        355 

Black,  or  JScorzouera  .849 

Culture  of  356 

Time  to  S  w  Seed  356 

Varieties  of  356 

Trees,  List  of  Evergreen  191 

Pruning  Fruit  .  .  .                   2S3 

Tropical  Bulbs  80 

Seeds,  Annual,  How  to  Sow  109,110 
Propagating  Plants  from..  61 
Tropical       82 

Plants                                       87 

Seeds.                                   82 

Tuberose,   Planting  and  Forc- 
ing    .....                53 

Shade,  flowers  adapted  for  199 
Shading                                       211 

Tulips,   Planting                           44 

Turnip  ...356 

With  "Protecting  Cloth  ".185 

Time  to  Sow  Seed                356 

Varieties  of  356 

Shallots                                 .-    350 

Turnip-rooted  Cabbage  or  Kohl- 
rabi    ..332 

Shingles  for  Shading                 211 

U 

Unhealthy    Plants,   Treatment 
of                                       104 

Shoots,  Blind                                 66 

Shrubs,  Hardy,  List  of               189 

Side  Grafting                   77 

V 

Snap  Beans  ...309 

Snowdrops,  Planting  44 

Smoke  Flue                                 179 

Han  for.  .304 

Soil  for  Potting   <  83 

Vegetables,  Successional  Crops 
of  S57 

Importance  of  "  Firming  "  358 
Must  not  be  Worked  when 
Wet                 -.358 

Veranda  Garden                         115 

W 

Walks,  Garden,  How  to  Make  -  14 

Special  Fertilizers  20 

Spinach                                       850 

Culture  of-.-  351 

New  Zealand.-  351 

Water  Lilies                                 118 

Perpetual  351 

Substitutes  for  -  -  351 

Squash,  Culture  of  352 

In  Central  Park                    124 

Varieties  of  352 

Strawberry  256 

Forcing                266 

Manures  for  .257 

Water  Lily  Bed                           126 

Runners  in  Pots  258 

Garden                                  121 

Soil  for                          .        256 

Tank,  How  to  Make  118 
Tank,  What  to  Grow  in  It, 
118-119 

Varieties  of  -.-261 

Strawberries.  When  to  Plant.  ..257 
Successional  Crops  of  Vegeta- 
bles .-  -  .357 

Water  Melon                     .         335 

Wax    Grafting                               77 

Sunken  Pit..  ...185 

Sweet  Herbs,  List  of  331 

Sweet  Potato  353 

Whitewash  for  Shading  Glass..  214 

Best  Variety..  ..355 

Propagation  and  Culture  -.353 
Swiss  Chard  351 

Gardening                              116 

T 

Temperature      for      Growing 
Plants                           86  156 

Tempern  ture  for  86-156 
Woody  Plants.  Propagation  of.  66 
Worm,  An--le                              206 

Thimbleberrv...                     ...275 

Currant  ..                         ...280 

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pearance of  the  book.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

Bulbs  and  Tuberous-Rooted  Plants. 

By  C.  L.  Allen.  A  complete  treatise  on  the  History,  Description, 
Methods  of  Propagation  and  full  Directions  for  the  successful  cul- 
ture of  Bulbs  in  the  garden,  Dwelling  and  Greenhouse.  As  gener- 
ally treated,  bulbs  are  an  expensive  luxury,  while,  when  properly 
managed,  they  afford  the  greatest  amount  of  pleasure  at  the  least 
cost.  The  author  of  this  book  has  for  many  years  made  bulb  grow- 
ing a  specialty,  and  is  a  recognized  authority  on  their  cultivation 
and  management.  The  illustrations  which  embellish  this  work 
have  been  drawn  from  nature,  and  have  been  engraved  especially 
for  this  book.  The  cultural  directions  are  plainly  stated,  practical 
and  to  the  point.  Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

Henderson's  Practical  Floriculture. 

By  Peter  Henderson.  A  guide  to  the  successful  propagation  and 
cultivation  of  florists'  plants.  The  work  is  not  one  for  florists  and 
gardeners  only,  but  the  amateur's  wants  are  constantly  kept  in 
mind,  and  we  have  a  very  complete  treatise  on  the  cultivation  of 
flowers  under  glass,  or  in  the  open  air,  suited  to  those  who  grow 
flowers  for  pleasure  as  well  as  those  who  make  them  a  matter  of 
trade.  Beautifully  illustrated.  New  and  enlarged  edition.  Cloth, 
12mo.  1.60 

Long's  Ornamental  Gardening:  for  Americans. 

A  Treatise  on  Beautifying  Homes,  Rural  Districts  and  Cemeteries. 
A  plain  and  practical  work  at  a  moderate  price,  with  numerous 
illustrations  and  instructions  so  plain  that  they  may  be  readily 
followed.  By  Elias  A.  Long,  Landscape  Architect.  Illustrated, 
Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

The  Propagation  of  Plants. 

By  Andrew  S-  Fuller.  Illustrated  with  numerous  engravings.  An 
eminently  practical  and  useful  work.  Describing  the  process  of 
hybridizing  and  crossing  species  and  varieties,  and  also  the  many 
different  modes  by  which  cultivated  plants  may  be  propagated  and 
multiplied.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.60 


STANDABD  BOOKS. 

Parsons  on  the  Rose. 

By  Samuel  B.  Parsons.  A  treatise  OR  the  propagation,  culture  and 
history  of  the  rose.  New  and  revised  edition.  In  his  work  upon 
the  rose,  Mr.  Parsons  has  gathered  up  the  curious  legends  concern- 
ing the  flower,  and  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  esteem  in  which  it  was 
held  in  former  times.  A  simple  garden  classification  has  been 
adopted,  and  the  leading  varieties  under  each  class  enumerated 
and  briefly  described.  The  chapters  on  multiplication,  cultivation 
and  training  are  very  full,  and  the  work  is  altogether  one  of  the 
most  complete  before  the  public.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.00 

Henderson's  Handbook  of  Plants. 

This  new  edition  comprises  about  fifty  per  cent,  more  genera  than 
the  former  one,  and  embraces  the  botanical  name,  derivation, 
natural  order,  etc.,  together  with  a  short  history  of  the  different 
genera,  concise  instructions  for  their  propagation  and  culture,  and 
all  the  leading  local  or  common  English  names,  together  with  a 
comprehensive  glossary  of  Botanical  and  Technical  terms.  Plain 
instructions  are  also  given  for  the  cultivation  of  the  principal  veg- 
etables, fruits  and  flowers.  Cloth,  large  8vo.  4.00 

Barry's  Fruit  Garden. 

By  P.  Barry.  A  standard  work  on  Fruit  and  Fruit  Trees ;  tho  author 
having  had  over  thirty  years'  practical  experience  at  the  head  of 
one  of  the  largest  nurseries  in  this  country.     New  edition  revised    J 
up  to  date.    Invaluable  to  all  fruit  growers.    Illustrated.    Cloth, 
12mo.  2.00 

Fulton's  Peach  Culture. 

This  is  the  only  practical  guide  to  Peach  Culture  on  the  Delaware 
Peninsula,  and  is  the  best  work  upon  the  subject  of  peach  growing 
for  those  who  would  be  successful  in  that  culture  in  any  part  of 
the  country.  It  has  been  thoroughly  revised  ana  a  large  portion  of 
it  rewitten,  by  Hon.  J.  Alexander  Fulton,  the  author,  bringing  it 
down  to  date.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

Strawberry  Culturist. 

By  Andrew  S.  Fuller.  C 

Garden  Culture  of  Str; 

grow  from  seed,  hybrid 

able  everybody  to  raise  their  own  strawberries,  together  with  a 

description  of  new  varieties  and  a  list  of  the  beat  ot  the  old  sorts. 

Fully  illustrated.    Flexible  cloth,  12mo.  .25 

Fuller's  Small  Fruit  Culturist. 

By  Andrew  S.  Fuller.  Rewritten,  enlarged,  and  bronght  fully  up  to 
the  present  time.  The  book  covers  tlie  whole  ground  ot  propagating 
Small  Fruits,  their  culture,  varieties,  packing  for  market,  etc.  It  is 
very  finely  and  thoroughly  illustrated,  and  makes  an  admirable 
companion  to  "The  Grape  Culturist,"  by  the  same  weU  Known 


STANDARD   BOOKS. 

Fuller's  Grape  Culturist. 

By  A.  S.  Fuller.  Tills  Is  one  of  the  very  best  or  works  on  the  Cul- 
ture of  the  Hardy  Grapes,  with  full  directions  for  all  departments 
of  propagation,  culture,  etc.,  with  150  excellent  engravings,  illus- 
trating planting,  training,  grafting,  etc.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

Quinn's  Pear  Culture  for  Profit. 

Teaching  How  to  Raise  Pears  Intelligently,  and  with  the  best  re- 
sults, how  to  find  out  the  character  of  the  soil,  the  best  methods  of 
preparing  it,  the  best  varieties  to  select  under  existing  conditions, 
the  best  modes  of  planting,  pruning,  fertilizing,  grafting,  and  utiliz- 
ing the  ground  before  the  trees  come  into  bearing,  and  finally  of 
gathering  and  packing  for  market.  Illustrated.  By  P.  T.  Quinn, 
practical  horticulturist.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.00 

Husmann's  American  Grape  Growing  ana  Wine-Making. 

By  George  Husmann  of  Talcoa  vineyards,  Napa,  California.  New 
and  enlarged  edition.  AVHh  contributions  from  well  know  grape- 
growers,  giving  a  wide  range  of  experience.  The  author  of  this 
book  is  a  recognized  authority  on  tbe  subject.  Cloth,  12mo.  L5» 

White's  Cranberry  Culture. 

Contents :— Natural  History.— History  of  Cultivation.— Choice  of 
Location. — Preparing  the  Ground. — Planting  the  Vines. — Managa- 
inentof  Meadows. — Flooding. — Enemies  and  Difficulties  Overcome). 
-Picking.— Keeping.— Profit  and  Loss.— Letters  from  Practical 
Growers.— Insects  Injurious  to  the  Cranberry.  By  Joseph  J.  White, 
a  practical  grower.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  flew  and  revised 
edition.  1.25 

Fuller's  Practical  Forestey. 

A  Treatise  on  the  Propagation,  Planting  and  Cultivation,  with  a 
description  and  the  botanical  and  proper  names  of  all  the  indigen- 
ous trees  of  the  United  States,  both  Evergreen  and  Deciduous,  with 
Notes  on  a  large  number  of  the  most  valuable  Exotic  Species.  By 
Andrew  S.  Fuller,  author  of  "Grape  Culturist,"  "Small  Fruit  Cul- 
turist,"  etc.  1.50 

Stewart's  Irrigation  for  the  Farm,  Garden  and  Orchard. 

This  work  is  offered  to  those  American  Fanners  and  other  cultiva- 
tors of  the  soil  who,  from  painful  experience,  can  readily  appre- 
ciate the  losses  which  result  from  the  scarcity  of  water  at  critical 
periods.  By  Henry  Stewart.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 


Quinn's  Money  in  the  Garden. 


By  P.  T.  Qulnn.  The  author  gives  in  n.  plain,  practical  style,  in- 
structlons  on  three  distinct,  although  closely  connected  branches 
of  gardening— the  kitchen  garden,  market  garden,  and  field  culture, 
from  successful  practical  experience  lor  a  term  of  years.  Illustra- 
ted. Cloth,  J2mo.  UX 


STANDARD  BOOKS. 

Roe's  Play  and  Profit  in  My  Garden. 

By  E.  P.  Roe.  The  author  takes  us  to  his  garden  on  the  rocky  hill- 
sides in  the  vicinity  of  West  Point,  and  shows  us  how  out  of  it, 
after  four  years'  experience,  he  evoked  a  profit  of  §1,000,  and  this 
while  carrying  on  pastoral  and  literary  labor.  It  is  very  rarely 
that  so  much  literary  taste  and  skill  are  mated  to  so  much  agri- 
cultural experience  and  good  sense.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

The  New  Onion  Culture. 

By  T.  Greiner.  This  new  work  Is  written  by  one  of  our  most  suc- 
cessful agriculturists,  and  is  full  of  new,  original,  and  highly  valu 
able  matter  of  material  interest  to  every  one  who  raises  onions  in 
the  family  garden,  or  by  the  acre  for  market.  By  the  process  here 
described  a  crop  of  2000  bushels  per  acre  can  be  as  easily  raised  as 
500  or  COO  bushels  in  the  old  way.  Paper,  ;?mo.  .50 

The  Dairyman's  Manual. 

By  Henry  Stewart,  author  of  "The  Shepherd's  Manual,"  "Irriga- 
tion," etc.  A  useful  and  practical  work,  by  a  writer  who  is  well 
known  as  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  subject  of  which  he  writes. 
Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

Allen's  American  Cattle. 

Their  History,  Breeding  and  Management.  By  Lewis  F.  Allen. 
Tills  book  will  be  considered  indispensable  by  every  breeder  of 
livestock.  The  large  experience  of  the  author  in  improving  the 
character  of  American  herds  adds  to  the  weight  of  his  observations 
and  has  enabled  him  to  produce  a  work  which  will  at  once  make 
good  his  claims  as  a  standard  authority  on  the  subject.  .New  and 
revised  edition.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12tno.  2.50 

Profits  in  Poultry. 

Useful  and  ornamental  Breeds  and  their  Profitable  Management. 
This  excellent  work  contains  the  combined  experience  of  a  num- 
ber of  practical  men  in  all  departments  of  poultry  raising.  It  is 
profusely  illustrated  and  forms  a  unique  a-nd  important  addition 
to  our  poultry  literature.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.00 

The  American  Standard  of  Perfection. 

The  recognized  standard  work  on  Poultry  In  this  country,  adopted 
by  the  American  Poultry  Association.  It  contains  a  complete  de- 
scription of  all  the  recognized  varieties  of  fowls,  including  turkeys, 
ducks  and  geese;  gives  instructions  to  judges;  glossary  of  technical 
terms  and  nomenclature.  It  contains  244  pages,  handsomely 
bound  in  cloth,  embellished  with  title  in  gold  on  front  cover.  $1.00 


Stoddard's  An  ESS  Farm. 

By  H.  H.  Stoddard.  The  management  of  poultry  In  large  numbers, 
being  a  series  of  articles  written  for  the  AMERICAN  AGR1CUI/TUB- 
1ST.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  I2mo.  JX 


STANDARD  iJOOE.3. 


Stewart's  Shepherd's  Manual. 


A  Valuable  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Sheep  for  American  fanner* 
and  sheep  growers.  It  is  so  plain  that  a  farmer  or  a  farmer's  son 
who  has  never  kept  a  sheep,  may  learn  from  its  pages  how  to 
manage  a  flock  successfully,  and  yet  so  complete  that  even  the  ex- 
perienced shepherd  may  gather  many  suggestions  from  it.  The 
results  of  personal  experience  of  somo  years  with  the  characters 
of  the  various  modern  breeds  of  sheep,  and  the  sheep  raising  capa- 
bilities of  many  portions  of  our  extensive  territory  and  that  of 
Canada — and  the  careful  study  of  the  diseases  to  which  our  sheep 
are  chiefly  subject,  with  those  by  which  they  may  eventually  be 
afflicted  through  unforseen  accidents — as  well  as  the  methods  of 
management  called  for  under  our  circumstances,  are  carefully 
dfiscribed.  By  Henry  Stewart.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

Wright's  Practical  Poultry-Keeper. 

By  L.  Wright.  A  complete  and  standard  guide  to  the  management 
of  poultry,  for  domestic  use,  the  markets  or  exhibition.  It  suits  at 
once  the  plain  poulterer,  who  must  make  the  business  pay,  and  the 
chicken  fancier  whose  taste  is  for  gay  plumage  and  strange,  bright 
birds.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  $2.00 

Harris  on  the  Pig. 

New  Edition.  Revised  and  enlarged  by  the  author.  The  points  of 
the  various  Englisli  find  American  breeds  are  thoroughly  discussed, 
and  the  great  advantage  of  using  thoroughbred  males  clearly 
shown.  The  work  is  equally  valuable  to  the  farmer  who  keeps  but 
few  pigs,  and  to  the  breeder  on  an  extensive  scale.  By  Joseph 
Harris.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 

The  Farmer's  Veterinary  Adviser. 

A  guide  to  the  Prevention  and  Treatment  of  Disease  In  Domestic 
Animals.  This  is  one  of  the  best  works  on  this  subject,  and  is  es- 
pecially designed  to  supply  the  need  of  the  busy  American  Farm? 
er,  who  can  rarely  avail  himself  of  the  advice  of  a  Scientific  Veter- 
inarian. It  is  brought  up  to  date  and  treats  of  the  Prevention  of 
Disease  as  well  as  of  the  Remedies.  By  Prof.  Jas.  Law.  Cloth. 
Crown,  8vo.  3.00 

Dadd's  American  Cattle  Doctor. 

By  George  H.  Dadd,  M.  D.,  Veterinary  Practitioner.  To  help  every 
man  to  ba  his  own  cattle-doctor;  giving  the  necessary  information 
for  preserving  the  health  and  curing  the  diseases  of  oxen,  cows, 
sheep  and  swine,  with  a  great  variety  of  original  recipes,  and  val- 
uable information  on  farm  and  dairy  management.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 


Cattle  Breeding. 


By  Win.  Warfield.  This  work  is  t>y  common  consent  the  most 
valuable  and  pre-eminently  practical  treatise  on  cattle-breeJing 
ever  published  in  America,  being  the  actual  experience  and  ob- 
servance of  a  practical  man.  Cloth,  12mo.  «-OG 


STANDABD  BOOKS. 

Dadd's  American  Cattle  Doctor. 

A  complete  work  on  all  ths  Diseases  of  Cattle,  Slieep  and  Swine,  In. 
eluding  every  Disease  peculiar  to  America,  and  embracing  all  the 
latest  information  on  the  Cattle  Plague  and  Trichina;  containing 
also  a  guide  to  symptoms,  a  table  of  Weights  and  Measures,  and  a 
list  or  Valuable  Medicines.  By  George  H.  Dadd,  V.  S.,  twenty-five 
years  A  leading  Veterinary  Surgeon  in  England  and  the  United 
States,  and  author  of  the  "American  Reformed  Horse  Book."  Cloth, 
octavo.  Illustrated.  2.50 

Cattle  and  Their  Diseases. 

By  A.  J.  Murray,  M.  R.  C.  V.  S.  Breeding  and  Management  of  Cat- 
tie.  This  Is  one  of  the  very  few  works  devoted  exclusively  to 
cattle  diseases,  and  will  be  particularly  valuable  to  cattlemen 
for  that  reason.  It  is  written  In  plain,  simple  language,  easily  un- 
derstood by  any  farmer,  while  it  is  learned  and  technical  enough 
to  satisfy  any  veterinary  surgeon.  Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

Silos,  Ensilage,  and  Silage. 

A  practical  Treatise  on  the  Ensilage  of  Fodder  Corn,  containing 
the  most  recent  and  authentic  information  on  this  Important  sub- 
ject, by  Manly  Miles,  M.  D.  F.  R.  M.  S.  Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  .50 

Manures. 

How  to  Make  and  How  to  Use  them.  By  Frank  "W.  Sempers.  The 
author  has  made  a  concise,  practical  handbook  containing  the  lat- 
est researches  ia  agriculture  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  reports 
cf  the  agricultural  experiment  stations  have  furnished  many  val- 
liable  suggestions.  Both  commercial  and  home-made  manures 
are  fully  described,  and  many  formulas  for  special  crops  and  soils 
are  given.  Price  postpaid,  paper  50  cents,  cloth.  1.00 

Potato  Pests. 

No  farmer  can  afford  to  be  without  this  little  book.  It  gives  the 
most  complete  account  of  the  Colorado  Beetle  anywhere  to  be 
found,  and  includes  all  the  latest  discoveries  as  to  the  habits  of  the 
Insect  and  the  various  means  for  its  destruction.  It  is  well  illustra- 
ted, and  exhibits  in  a  map  the  spread  of  the  Insect  since  it  left  its 
native  home.  By  Prof.  C.  V.  Riley.  Paper.  .60 

Your  Plants. 

Plain  and  Practical  Directions  for  the  Treatment  of  Tender  and 
Hardy  Plants  in  the  House  and  in  the  Garden.  By  James  Sheehan. 
The  work  meets  the  wants  of  the  amateur  who  grows  a  tew  plants 
in  the  window,  or  has  a  small  flower  garden.  Paper  covers.  M 

Pedder's  Land-Measurer  for  Farmers. 

A  convenient  Pocket  Companion,  showing  at  once  the  contents  of 
any  piece  of  land,  when  its  length  and  width  are  unknown,  up  to 
1500  feet  either  way,  with  various  other  usetul  tarm  tables.  Cloth, 


STA.NDABD  BOOKS. 

flop  Culture. 

Plain  directions  given  by  ten  experienced  cultivators.  Revised, 
enlarged  and  edited  by  A.  8.  Fuller.  Forty  engravings.  .30 

Wheat  Culture. 

How  to  double  the  yield  and  increase  the  profits.  By  D.  S.  Curtlss, 
Washington,  D.  C.  Importance  of  the  Wheat  Crop.  Varieties  Most 
Grown  in  the  United  States.  Examples  oi  Successful  Wheat  Cul- 
ture. Illustrated.  Paper  covers.  .50 

Starr's  Farm  Echoes. 

By  F.  Ratchford  Starr,  Echo  Farm,  Lltchfleld,  Ct.    This  handsome 
little  book  tells  how  the  author  turned  from  a  successful  business 
career  to  agricultural  pin-suits,  and  has  achieved  health,  happiness 
and  prosperity  upon  his  broad  acres  near  Litchneld.    Cloth,  12mo. 
Illustrated.  .50 

The  American  Merino.    For  Wool  or  for  Mutton. 

A  practical  and  most  valuable  work  on  the  selection, care,  breeding 
and  diseases  of  the  Merino  sheep,  in  all  sections  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  a  full  and  exhaustive  treatise  upon  this  one  breed  of 
sheep.  By  Stephen  Powers.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.50 


Coburn's  Swine  Husbandry. 


New,  revised  and  enlarged  edition.  The  Breeding,  Rearing,  and 
Management  of  Swine,  and  the  Prevention  and  Treatment  ot  their 
Diseases.  It  Is  the  fullest  and  freshest  compendium  relating  to 
Swine  Breeding  yet  offered.  By  F.  D.  Coburn.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.75 

Tobacco  Culture:  Full  Practical  Details. 

This  useful  and  valuable  work  contains  full  details  of  every  process 
from  the  Selection  and  Propagation  of  the  Seed  and  Soil  to  the 
Harvesting,  Curing  and  Marketing  the  Crop,  with  illustrative  en- 
gravings of  the  operations.  The  work  was  prepared  by  Fourteen 
Experienced  Tobacco  Growers,  residing  In  different  parts  of  the 
country.  It  also  contains  notes  on  the  Tobacco  Worm,  with  Illus- 
trations. 8vo.  .25 

Keeping1  One  Cow. 

A  collection  of  prize  Essays  and  Selections  from  a  number  of  other 
Essays,  With  editorial  notes,  suggestions,  etc.  This  book  gives  the 
latest  information,  and  in  a  clear  and  condensed  form,  upon  the 
management  of  a  single  Milch  Cow.  Illustrated  with  full  page  en- 
gravings of  the  most  famous  dairy  cows.  Cloth,  12mo.  l.OC 

Guenon's  Treatise  on  Milch  Cows. 

A  treatise  on  the  Bovine  Species  In  General.  An  entirely  new 
translation  of  the  last  edition  of  this  popular  and  instructive  book. 
By  Thomas  J.  Hand,  Secretary  of  the  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club. 
With  over  100  illustrations,  especially  engraved  tor  this  work. 
Ciotn,  I2mo.  1.00 


STANDABD  BOOKS.  11 

Sander's  Horse  Breeding:. 

Being  the  general  principles  ot  Heredity  applied  to  the  Business  of 
Breeding  Horses  and  the  Management  of  Stallions,  Brood  Mares 
and  Foals.  The  book  embraces  all  that  the  breeder  wishes  to  know 
in  regard  to  the  selection  of  stock,  management  of  the  stallion, 
brood  mare,  and  foal,  and  treatment  of  diseases  peculiar  to  breed- 
ing animals.  By  J.  H.  Sanders.  Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

Herbert's  Hints  to  Horse  Keepers. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  popular  works  on  the  horse  pre- 
pared in  this  country.  A  complete  manual  for  horsemen,  embrac- 
ing: How  to  Breed  a  Horse;  How  to  Buy  a  Horse;  How  to  Break  a 
Horse ;  How  to  Use  a  Horse ;  How  to  Feed  a  Horse ;  How  to  Physic  a 
Horse  (Allopathy  or  Homoeopathy);  How  to  Groom  a  Horse;  How 
to  Drive  a  Horse;  How  to  Ride  a  Horse,  etc.  By  the  late  Henry 
William  Herbert,  (Frank  Forester).  Beautifully  Illustrated.  Cloth, 
12mo.  1.75 

Warington's  Chemistry  of  the  Farm. 

Treating  with  the  utmost  clearness  and  conciseness,  and  in  the 
most  popular  manner  possible,  of  the  relations,  of  Chemistry  to 
Agriculture,  and  providing  a  welcome  manual  for  those  who, 
while  not  having  time  to  systematically  study  Chemistry,  will 
gladly  have  such  an  idea  as  this  gives  them  of  its  relation  to  oper- 
ations on  the  farm.  By  R.  Wariiigton,  F.  C.  S.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.00 

Farm  Appliances. 

Describing  numerous  Useful  and  Labor-Saving  appliances,  and 
will  be  found  of  great  value  in  every  department  of  Farm  work. 
With  nearly  250  Illustrations.  Cloth,  12mo.  1-00 

Fences,  Gates  and  Bridges. 

A  much-needed  and  valuable  work.  The  descriptions  are  abundantly 
illustrated.  The  book  also  contains  a  synopsis  of  the  Fence  Law0 
of  the  different  States.  Over  100  engravings.  Cloth,  12mo.  1.00 

Farm  Conveniences. 

A  Manual  of  what  to  do,  and  how  to  do  it.  Describing  all  manner 
of  Homemade  Aids  to  Farm  Work.  Made  up  of  the  best  ideas  from 
the  experience  of  many  practical  men.  With  over  two  hundred 
engravings.  1-6° 

Waring's  Draining  for  Profit  and  Draining  for  Health. 

This  book  is  a  very  complete  and  practial  treatise,  the  directions 
in  which  are  plain  and  easily  followed.  The  subject  of  thorough 
farm  drainage  is  discussed  in  all  its  bearings,  and  also  that  more 
extensive  land  drainage  by  which  the  sanitary  condition  of  any 
district  may  be  greatly  improved,  even  to  the  banishment  of  fever 
and  ague,  typhoid  and  malarial  fever.  By  Geo.  E.  Waring,  Jr. 
Illustrated.  Cloth,  12mo.  • 


12  STANDARD   BOOKS. 

The  Dogs  of  Great  Britain,  America  and  Other  Countries. 

New,  enlarged  and  revised  edition.  Their  Breeding,  training  and 
management,  in  health  and  disease;  comprising  all  the  essential 
parts  of  the  two  standard  works  on  the  dog,  by  "Stonehenge."  It 
describes  the  Best  Game  and  Hunting  Grounds  in  America. 
Contains  over  One  Hundred  Beautiful  Engravings,  embracing 
most  noted  Dogs  in  both  continents,  making,  together  with  Chap- 
ters by  American  Writers,  the  most  complete  Dog  Book  ever  pub- 
lished. Cloth,  12mo.  2.00 

American  Bird  Fancier. 

Or  how  to  Breed,  Rear  and  Care  for  Song  and  Domestic  Birds.  This 
valuable  and  important  little  work  for  all  who  are  interested  in 
the  keeping  of  Song  Birds,  has  been  revised  and  enlarged,  and  ia 
now  a  complete  manual  upon  the  subject.  All  who  own  valuable 
birds,  or  wish  to  do  so,  will  find  the  new  Fancier  indispensable. 
New,  revised  and  enlarged  edition.  LBy  D.  J.  Browne  and  Dr. 
Fuller  Walker.  Illustrated,  paper.  .50 

Gardening  for  Young  and  Old. 

By  Joseph  Harris.  A  work  intended  to  interest  farmers'  boys  in 
Farm  Gardening,  which  means  a  better  and  more  profitable  form 
of  agriculture.  The  teachings  are  given  in  the  familiar  manner  so 
well  known  in  the  author's  "Walks  and  Talks  on  the  Farm."  Illus- 
trated. Cloth,  12mo.  1.25 

Onions ;  How  to  Raise  Them  Profitably. 

Being  the  Practical  Details,  from  Selection  of  Seed  and  Preparation 
of  Ground  to  Harvesting  and  Marketing  the  Crop,  given  very 
plainly  by  Seventeen  Practical  Onion  Growers  of  long  experience 
residing  In  different  pai'ts  of  the  country.  No  more  valuable  work 
of  its  size  was  ever  issued.  Paper,  8vo.  .20 

Tomato  Culture. 

By  J.  W.  Day,  D.  Cummins,  and  A.  I.  Root.  In  three  parts.  Part 
First— Tomato  Culture  in  the  South.  Part  Second— Tomato  Cul- 
ture, especially  for  Canning  Factories.  Part  Third — Plant  Growing 
for  Market  and  High  Pressure.  Gardening  in  general.  A  Practical 
Book  for  those  who  work  under  either  Glass  or  Cloth  as  a  Protec- 
tion from  Frost.  135  pages,  illustrated.  Paper,  IGnio.  .35 

How  to  Handle  and  Educate  Vicious  Horses. 

By  Oscar  R.  Gleason.  Directions  for  Handling  Vicious  Horses, 
Breaking  Colts,  Teaching  Horses  Tricks,  etc.  Illustrated.  Cloth, 
12mo.  .50 

The  Family  Horse. 

Its  Stabling,  Care  and  Feeding.  By  Geo.  A.  Martin.  A  Practical 
Manual,  full  of  the  most  useful  information.  Illustrated.  Cloth 
12mo.  1.00 


